Bantam A team crushes the Muskoka Rock

The Pepper Mill Highland Storm Bantam A travelled to Port Carling Sunday afternoon to meet with the Muskoka Rock. The Storm walked away with a 6-0 win a nice confidence boost for the team.

The scoring began minutes into the first period. A rush from centre a few passes from Little and Morissette onto the stick of Haedicke and he found the opening. The Storm continued to push. The next goal by Crang resulted from action around the Rock’s net assists going to Robinson and MacNaull. First period ended with the Storm leading 2-0. Late in the second period Dollo intercepted a pass and rushed the net for the third goal unassisted. Shortly after Dollo dug out the puck during a battle behind the net. His pass found the stick of Alexander in front of the net his shot made it 4-0 ending the second period. Early in third action in the Rock’s end with Storm dominating the play. Little’s hard shot found the opening for the fifth Storm goal assisted by Haedicke and Morissette. Storm continued to work hard keeping the play in the Rock’s zone. A pass from Haedicke to Walker resulted in another goal for the Storm. That chalked up the first win of the regular season for the Storm Bantam A team. Congrats to Carson Sisson his first shut out of the season.

Submitted by Suzanne Haedicke

Solid victory for peewee AE

The Walkers Heating and Cooling Haliburton Highlands Family Health Team Highland Storm peewee AE travelled to Gravenhurst on Sunday to play the South Muskoka Bears. The Storm took control right from the start but big saves from the Bears goalie kept the score 0-0 into the second period when Tyler Martin scored the team’s first goal. The Storm scored three more unanswered goals including Brenden Coumbs’ first hat trick of the season before the Bears were able to crack the tight Storm defence for a goal. The Storm scored once more for a solid 5-2 victory.

Submitted by Gord Hoenow

Storm stars shine in Mineral Capital Cup

Over the weekend the members of JoAnne Sharpley’s Source for Sports Highland Storm peewee A team were up before the rooster and travelled to Bancroft to play in the Mineral Capital Cup. They were slated to play a strong Centre Hastings team in the first game of the tournament. Much of the first was played without a shot as the players vanquish the cobwebs felt from an early Saturday hockey game. Alex Little opened the scoring on the powerplay unassisted with a seeing-eye shot from the point to take the lead. The period ended with the Storm up by one. Aiden Neave scored on a rebound on his backhand with just over three minutes remaining in the second which was a fast one with few whistles. Centre Hastings made good on a lucky bounce and tied the game two-and-a-half minutes left in the second. It only took Alex Little 52 seconds to open the scoring in the third period and the Storm benefitted from a unfortunate bounce from an own goal by Centre Hastings and the lead was extended to 4-1. The lead was cut into by an odd tally pushed in with a hand but later Alex Little added another goal to complete the hat trick and was named a well-deserved player of the game.

The second game featured a Arnprior team unfamiliar to the Storm. The chippy affair with numerous minors saw Dylan Keefer potting a goal to open the scoring on the power play showing patience and going high glove with a nice shot assists coming from Cole Prentice and Aaron Bellefleur. A defensive miscue led the tying goal by Arnprior but only minutes later a hard shot off of Bellefleur’s stick was tipped in front and Joe Boice had his first of the game the first ended with the Storm up 2-1. Alex Little scored a beauty goal rushing down the right side in the second using his speed to increase the lead by two Ty Mills and Brenden Newhook with the helpers. Standout goaltender Darian Maddock was incredible in the win as he faced many great scoring chances and made a highlight reel glove save in the middle frame to preserve the lead. As the period continued the two teams traded goals and watched the clock tick down with the Storm up 4-2. Arnprior seemed to throw everything into it but the Storm carried the play and Joe Boice added the only goal of the third making the game out of reach and the final was 5-2 Storm. Goaltender Darian Maddock earned player of the game.

As the Storm marched into the finals they found themselves pitted against a powerful Tweed team who blew out the host Bancroft Jets by a score of 8-2 to earn themselves a right in the A championship. The two combatants fought ferociously for two periods as they played tied at zero with both goalies standing tall in the process. Both benches were in high hysterics as they fired out orders making quick line changes. In the third period both second year peewee players and team leaders Alex Little and Joe Boice found the back of the net and first year goaltender Darian Maddock was perfect shutting out the opponents. Joe Boice earned player of the game. Congratulations are in order as our defending champs come home with their first tournament championship of 2015/16.

Peewee A take on Shamrocks

The Joanne Sharpley’s Source For Sports Highland Storm peewee A team took their five-game unbeaten streak into an afternoon matchup with opponents the Parry Sound Shamrocks. The Shamrocks were never in this game as our Storm team took puck possession and rarely gave it up. The defence rotated and covered for one another and communicated well. Joe Boice (2G2A) dazzled the crowd opening the scoring on a nice backhand goal and Cole Prentice (3G2A) added another to take a 2-0 lead into the second.

Game changing efforts often don’t show up on the score sheet but the forecheck of Tyson Clements Dylan Keefer and Nick Phippen was great keeping the pressure on the opponents’ defence and the puck low in their zone. Aaron Bellefluer (1A) was a nightmare for the Shamrocks offence as he consistently angled them to the outside as they entered the Storm’s end. The home team added another goal and widened the lead to 3-0 entering the third. The quick puck moving and skating continued in the last frame as the Storm outmatched the Shamrocks in every regard. The Storm’s goaltending was again solid as a rock. Darian Maddock recorded his second consecutive shutout and third in six games. The final score was a 5-0 beating.

Submitted by Trevor Maddock

Novice Storm battles Otters

The weekend began with a game against the Huntsville Otters in Huntsville. The team played a great game even though they lost 9-2. Goals were scored by Colby Coumbs and Addison Carr. The next two games were played in Minden against the Parry Sound Shamrocks. The Storm were on fire the first game winning 5-1. The goals scored by Colby Coumbs Kadin Card Isaac Lee Graeme Armstrong and Cheyenne Degeer. The second game was a battle with the Storm and Shamrocks tying 3-3. The  goals scored by Colby Coumbs and Graeme Armstrong. The Timbermart Novice play in Minden on Saturday Oct. 10 at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. against the Huntsville Otters. Hope to see you there.

Submitted by Amber Card

Atom A start with double-header

Game 1

The Emmerson Lumber Atom A Storm started off their double header against Parry Sound with a solid first period. The Storm fought hard in the second period with Cooper Coles opening the scoring assisted by Austin Boylan. The Shamrocks fought back scoring two goals ending the game with a 2-1 win over the Storm.

Game 2

The Storm’s second game against the Shamrocks was another good effort by the team. The Shamrocks opened the scoring in the first period but the Storm battled back with Gage Hutchinson and Kyan Hall both scoring goals assisted by Evan Armstrong. The Storm battled through but we’re not able pull past the Shamrocks. The final score was 5-3 Shamrocks.

Oct 4

The Storm atom team travelled to Gravenhurst Sunday to play against South Muskoka Bears. The Bears opened the scoring in the first period putting the Storm down 3-0 going into the second. Storm’s Logan Tripp scored the first goal assisted by Cody Keller bringing the Storm back into the game. Although the Storm battled hard the final score was 7-1 Bears.

Submitted by Amanda Wells

Jets tackle Eagles

The Bancroft IDA / Canadian Tire Midget B Girls Jets opened their 2015-16 regular hockey season on the road Sunday morning in Ennismore. Looking to build on their recent Oshawa tourney success the Jets showed little rust as they took on the Eagles in their early morning tilt. The Jets soared out to an early 1-0 lead just a few minutes into the first period with a Katie Funk touch pass to spring Kenndal Marsden who beat the Ennismore tender with a forehand-backhand deke. Midway through the first Sydney Feir put a snap shot past the Eagle’s netminder finishing off a nice pass from Ella Hedley. Katie Funk made the first period score 3-0 with a beauty high-blocker wrister.
The Jets continued their attack into the second period with Erin Kavanagh’s sweet short-handed rush and 4-0 high-slot wrister that beat the Ennismore goalie clean. Kenndal Marsden finished off a dandy give and go with Jamie Little slipping her second tally of the game into the net with a weak angle rebound shot off the post. Sydney Feir added her second of the game shortly after with a tic-tac-toe from Ella Hedley and Kelsey Maracle. Late in the second frame Maracle finished off a heads up two-on-one from a sweet saucer pass from Feir to make the score 7-0.
The Jets used the third period to build on their puck control and sharing of the puck to continue their improving play making. Early in the third Kelsey Maracle added her second of the game with a great deflection after a dynamite D-to-D play to create an open lane shot from Jamie Little. Midway through the third Kenndal Marsden netted her third of the morning with a goal-mouth scramble slipping the hat-trick marker past the Ennismore tender. Sydney Feir rounded out the 10-0 score also netting a hat-trick finishing off a late period rush to score her third of the game. Katie Hoover stopped all Ennismore shooters earning the shut out win.
Nice game to get the regular season started girls. Keep building on your puck possession shared team passing and heads up play. Next midget B girls’ game is their “home opener” on Saturday Oct. 24 at 5 p.m. where they will host the Keene Wolverines. The Jets then take on the Lindsay Lynx in Haliburton on Sunday Oct. 25 at 5 pm and then are back in Bancroft on Monday Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. taking on the Peterborough Ice Kats.

Submitted by Dan Marsden