Here is the weekly report for March 5, 2018...
QRD Weekly Report – Playoff Edition #2 – Monday March 5, 2018
Free Flow Petroleum - Minor Midget
The Free Flow Petroleum Minor Midgets competed at the OMHA Championships this past weekend hosted by York Simcoe. The boys earned their spot in the showcase of the top 5 teams in the OMHA with a play-in game against Peterboro who finished 1st in the ETA east. The Kids earned that spot after a thrilling 5 game series against Barrie Colts who finished first in the ETA west. The Free Flow team lost the series 3 games to 2 with the deciding game 5 won by Barrie in overtime. Barrie also won game 2 in overtime.
Against Peterborough to earn a spot in the OMHA championship weekend, Quinte came out hard and got the early lead before PTBO tied it up. Quinte went ahead by two later into the game before Petes got a power play late to make it close but the boys earned a hard fought 3-2 win.
The team faced Barrie again in game 1 of the OMHA Championship weekend facing a tough 4-2 loss. Later in the day they faced the top team in the west and the number two rated team in the province in the Oakville Rangers. Quinte played this talent laden team hard and kept it tight for the whole game losing a respectable 3-0. Facing a must win game Saturday morning, the Free Flow team faced a strong Guelph team. Quinte facing adversity, came out strong and held two, 2 goal leads eventually winning 3-2 to keep their hopes alive. All the boys needed was the overwhelming favorite Barrie Colts to beat the Guelph Gryphons later in the day and the Quinte boys were heading to the Bronze Medal game or possibly the Gold Medal game. However, as their season has gone, not everything is easy. The long drawn out series previously with Quinte started to take its toll on the Barrie players and they arguably played their worst game of the playoffs against Guelph and lost 6-4 with 2 short handed goals against. Not only did the loss relegate the Colts to the Bronze Medal game but the Free Flow boys had to now beat the host and arguably one of the top 3 teams in the province, York Simcoe Express with the undisputed number 1 pick in the upcoming OHL draft. Facing a massive undertaking, the boys came out flying and actually had several good scoring opportunities early but couldn't finish. That gave YSE the opening they needed and scored a goal in each period to finish with a 3-0 win. Unfortunately the boys didn't move on to the medal round but still earned a wild card play-in game to the OHL Cup March 13 in Toronto to earn a spot in the showcase tournament.
Foley Bus Lines - Minor Bantam
Foley Bus Liners Head to OMHA Semi-Finals with Series Win Over Kingston!
The Foley Bus Lines Minor Bantams were in a battle that went the distance against the rival Kingston Jr. Frontenacs, but ended the series with a win in dramatic fashion. The Devils were down 4 points to 2 and needed two wins to advance in the OMHA playoffs. Overcoming adversity; the Devils came back and took the series 6 points to 4.
On Feb 28, the Devils hosted the Frontenacs at the QSWC. The Frontenacs struck first late in the 2nd period, but the Devils evened the game before the end of the period on a goal from Connor Hunt. Assisting on the Hunt goal were Dalyn Wakely and Parker Stewart. The Fronts would regain the lead in the 3rd period to make the score 2 to 1. Despite pressure from Devils, they could not find the back of the net. The game ended in a 2 to 1 loss for the Devils. Corbin Votary went the distance in the Devils cage. The loss gave the Fronts a 4 to 2 point lead in the series, putting the Devils in a situation where they would need to win the next two games.
On Mar 3, The Devils travelled to Kingston to play the Fronts at the Cataraqui Arena. The Devils opened the scoring in the first period on a goal from Dalyn Wakely, assisted by Sami Douglas-Najem. The Devils added to their lead on an unassisted goal from Cooper Matthews in the second period to make it a 2 to 0 game. Early in the third period, Parker Stewart scored, assisted by Dalyn Wakely. Trevor Hoskin would also score, unassisted to make it a 4 to 0 game. The Devils faced penalty trouble late in the third period and needed to fight off 4 minutes of 5 on 3. Corbin Votary was solid in the Devils net, turning away all shots and recording the shut out in the 4 to 0 win, and evening the series with Kingston at 4 points.
On Mar 4, The Bus Liners hosted the Fronts in the deciding game 5 in Madoc. It was the Devils that scored first as Noah Richard found the back of the Fronts net on assists from Dalyn Wakely and Cooper Matthews. In the last minutes of the first period the Fronts evened the game at 1. Early in the second period the Fronts struck again to take the lead, but Dalyn Wakely scored unassisted to even the game at 2 before the end of the 2nd. Each team skated to a scoreless third period, sending the game into sudden death overtime. With only 4 minutes left in the overtime period, the “Madoc Connection” came through with the winning goal, as Connor Hunt scored on assists from Kellen Dostaler and Owen Beck. Corbin Votary went the distance in the Devils cage. The win gave the Devils the series, and they advance to Semi Final Round of the OMHA Playdowns. The Devils will face the York Simcoe Express, game dates and time to be determined.
Game Ready Hockey Development - Bantam
The Game Ready Hockey Development Bantams finished the first round of OMHA on Thursday March 1, 2018 with a 3-0 win over the Central Ontario Wolves, winning the series in three straight. Scoring for the Devils was Zack Brooks, Nathanial Burelle and Erik MacNeil. Assists from Luke LaPalm and Jett Butler. Dixon Grimes was in net for the win and was also awarded player of the game.
The team will now face the North Central Predator's in the OMHA semi-finals.
Rhino Sports and Play - Novice
The second round playoffs brought two losses for the Novice Devils this past weekend. On Saturday March 3, the Novice Red Devils travelled to Barrie to take on the Colts in the first game off the second playoff round. The Devils fell 3-1, with the lone goal coming from Jake Gawley assisted by Keegan Goulah. The second game was played back on home ice Sunday March 4, and was a 3-2 loss. Both Quinte goals were scored by Nate Rashotte with assists from Joseph Neiman, Jonas McCoy and Seth Scaletta. Hopefully the Devils can pull out a win this Friday back in Barrie to keep the series alive.
Madison Excavating - Minor Peewee
The Madison Excavating Minor Peewees began their second round of playoffs this week with the cross over to the west side of the ETA to face the Ajax-Pickering Raider. The weekend ended in a split weekend with a win and a loss.
The Devils hosted game one this past Saturday at the Cobourg CC. The two teams both came out fast, matching speed and skill. It was the Raiders who were first on the scoreboard in the starting period, but the Devils answered back in the second to tie it up at 1-1. Scoring Quinte's first goal was Gage Butcher, assisted by Thomas Kuipers. The Devils would take the lead in the third with the go ahead goal from Beckett Ewart, assisted by Carson Campbell. Ewart would intercept a pass in the dying minutes of the third and go in to score an empty netter and seal the 3-1 victory. Dean Spry stood tall in net for the Devils.
Game two had the Devils on the road to Ajax on Sunday. The first period was back and forth but would end scoreless. Quinte would be the one to open up the scoring with 2 goals in the second, giving them a 2-0 lead. First goal was scored by Kuipers, assisted by Rylan Reid and Butcher. Goal number two was scored by Ben Danford, assisted by Jared Langdon and Campbell. The Raiders continued to fight back and battled in the third to score 3 unanswered goals and an empty netter to give them the 4-2 win. Mike McIvor was in net for the game. The series is now tied 1-1.
On Deck: The Madison Excavating Minor Peewees will host the Raiders in Madoc this upcoming Wednesday and back up to Ajax on Saturday.
Bonn Law - Major Peewee
The Bonn Law Major Peewees win series over Whitby to advance to OMHA Semi finals
The Bonn Law Quinte Red Devils secured back to back wins to take the series against the Whitby Wildcats and advance to OMHA Semi Finals.
The Bonn Law Quinte Red Devils were in Whitby on Wednesday night for game 3 in their quarter final series with the Whitby Wildcats. The Wildcats scored two unanswered goals in the first period and took a 2-0 lead into the 2nd frame. Ethan Quick found the back of the net for the Devils midway through the 2nd period to bring his team within a goal, assisted by Ben Lynch and Ethan Miedema, but the Wildcats would add another to make it 3-1. The Devils continued to battle and were rewarded when Christopher Brydges scored, assisted by Duncan Schneider and Miedema, to again pull the team within one. Jack Dever lit the lamp to even the game, assisted by Will Haley, but the Wildcats would regain the lead in the 3rd and add another. Despite pressure from the Devils, they were unable to find the back of the net again and the game ended in a 5-3 loss. Brayden Friedrich handled the goaltending duties for the game.
The loss meant that the Devils would have to win the next two games in order to advance and on March 3rd, they were back on home ice for game 4. The Devils opened the scoring in the first few minutes of the game on a goal from Jack Lowry, assisted by Brydges and Keenan Wiles. The Wildcats were able to even the game at one, but Miedema scored on a power play for the Devils less than three minutes later to regain the lead, assisted by Schneider and Quick. Both teams were held off the scoreboard in the 3rd and the game ended with a 2-1 win for the Devils. Aidan Crowley went the distance in the Devils cage.
On March 4th, the Devils travelled back to Whitby for the deciding game 5. It was the Devils that scored first on a goal by Quick, assisted by Schneider, but the Wildcats managed to even the score and add another to their tally before the end of the first. The score would remain 2-1 in favor of the Wildcats until midway through the 3rd period when Quick once again found the back of the net, assisted by Tyson Carr to tie the game at 2. Then, with just 15 seconds left to play, Aiden Haller-Brady connected with the game winning goal for the Devils on a beautiful back hand shot that beat the Wildcat’s net minder, assisted by Schneider. Aidan Crowley was fantastic between the pipes for the Devils, making several key saves.
The win gave the Devils the series and they advance to the semi final round of the OMHA playdowns where they will meet the Barrie Colts. Game dates and times are still to be determined.