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East Kings Midget A : Game Reports
<- - MIDGET A TEAM <- - GAME REPORTS
Midget 'A' Winterhawks - A Team Experience
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click to enlargeThe hockey season has finally come to an end for most players now that the SEDMHA tournament is over. For the East Kings Winterhawks Midget 'A' team they finished the season in a flurry, playing 5 games in SEDMHA and two Exhibition games against the Yarmouth Mariner's 'AAA' team posting a 4 win, 2 loss and 1 tie mark.
Against the Mariners the two teams were fairly equal with the Winterhawks holding a slight edge in goals 4-3 as they won 2-1 and tied 2-2. The games were exciting to watch and were a good warm-up for SEDMHA.
During the SEDMHA tournament the Winterhawks opened with a game against the Halifax Hawks. The game went into double overtime and with the tournament format we went down to 2 on 2 hockey. The thriller was finally ended when Mike Sponagle fed Ryan Murphy the puck, who skated up ice with a player draped over him to put the puck up over a tired Halifax goalie.
Game two featured a stint against the New Brunswick Midget 'AA' Provincial Champs. The game was tied entering the third but Kent South iced it late in the period to win 2-1. Game 3 was against the Halifax squad again but this time the Winterhawks handled them quite easily, winning 4-1. The next opponent later that night was from TASA. TASA scored the only goal of the opening frame before the Winterhawks scored 7 unanswered goals enroute to a 7-1 victory.
The last game of the year for the Winterhawks was against the Cole Harbour Wings. Despite out-shooting and out-playing the Wings in regulation play the game was tied at two. It seemed quite fitting that we would finish the season playing another exciting game in overtime. Unfortunately the script was not to be as Cole Harbour scored in O/T winning 3-2.
It also seemed fitting that during those 7 games, all of the players figured into the scoring. Leading the way with nine points was Ryan Murphy (2-7), followed closely by Morgan Steele with 7(4-3), Andy Clement with 7(3-4) and Adam Brewster with 6(2-4). Four players each had 4 points apiece, Jeff Lawrence (2-2), Travis Sanford (2-2), Evan Wittenberg (2-2) and Mike Sponagle (1-3). Corey Chapman (1-2) had 3 points, Brandon Benjamin (2-0), Bret Garby (1-1) and Ethan Bent (0-2) each had 2 points while Chris Chute, Chris Moore and Brandon Conrad all chipped in with an assist.
At least 10 of my players have played their last eligible minor hockey game of their careers. I hope that they, as well as the other 7 players, have enjoyed their experience this season. Although the team didn't win the Provincials, nor SEDMHA, they did have a winning season, posting a 31-18-3 record and all players were treated fairly, given the opportunity to play on the specialty teams and being a 1st line player. Let me finish by saying that being part of a hockey team is an experience that people should enjoy, that hockey is full of life skills, both good and bad, and that at the end of the day I hope everyone is richer from the experience.
Submitted by:
Paul Murphy, Coach
EKMHA Winterhawks Midget 'A'
Published by: East Kings Winterhawks Midget A
Last Updated: April 13, 2004
Contact: [email protected]
