The
Madison Excavating QRD U12s had a busy three days in Niagara, competing in their second tournament of the 2023-2024 season. The team finished with a 2-2-0 record after round-robin play, securing their spot in the quarter-final game on Sunday. While the Devils did not move on to the semi-finals, they fought hard and played well against some of the best teams in the province.
Friday, November 10th: Game 1
The Madison Excavating QRD U12s kicked off the tournament playing Ontario’s fifth-ranked team, the Vaughan Kings. The Kings got on the board midway through the first period, and then capitalized on a powerplay goal three minutes later, giving them a 2-0 lead after the first frame. QRD battled back in the second period, cutting Vaughan’s lead in half, with a powerplay marker of their own. Just over a minute later, however, the Kings regained their two-goal lead heading into the third. With just over eight minutes left in the game, QRD capitalized on another powerplay, bringing the score to 3-2. The Kings tightened up their defence and QRD was unable to tie the game, resulting in a 3-2 loss.
Friday, November 10th: Game 2
Later that afternoon, QRD took on the 2023 OMHA finalists, the Niagara North Stars. The first period saw lots of back-and-forth hockey, with scoring chances at both ends. Neither team, however, was able to sneak one by the tendies. QRD ran into some penalty trouble in the second period, and the North Stars capitalized on their fourth powerplay of the period, banging one in with only one second remaining in the period. Niagara then added an insurance marker in the third, and the game ended in a 2-0 loss for Quinte.
Saturday, November 11th: Game 3
Saturday morning, QRD would go head-to-head with the Central Ontario Wolves. QRD went up 1-0 when they scored early in the second period. They then took advantage of an early third period powerplay, to extend their lead to 2-0. They were determined to get a tick in the win column. The Wolves, not ready to back down, answered with a goal of their own a minute and a half later, cutting Quinte’s lead to one. With eight minutes left in the frame, QRD continued to pressure, scoring their third goal of the game, and securing the 3-1 victory.
Saturday, November 11th: Game 4
That afternoon, the U12 Devils would have a tilt against another OMHA east team, the Ajax-Pickering Raiders. Quinte came out hard, knowing that a win could push them through to the quarter-finals on Sunday. With a minute and a half left in the first period, QRD got on the board, taking a 1-0 lead into the second period. Period two saw the Red Devils in some penalty trouble, and the Raiders were able to squeak in a powerplay goal to tie the game at one. Determined to earn the win, QRD found their offensive flare and scored three unanswered goals in the third period, earning a 4-1 win.
Sunday, November 12th: Quarter-final Game
In a high-stakes quarter-final game, QRD would face Ontario’s fourth-ranked team, the Mississauga Rebels. Mississauga’s special teams were the story of the game. They managed to score two powerplay goals in the first period. In the second frame, the Rebels added a short-handed goal to their tally. Neither team could break through the others’ defences in the third, leading to a 3-0 loss for QRD.
Although QRD did not move on to semi-finals, it was not for lack of effort. The team showed incredible strength and resilience against some very tough opponents.
Coach’s Corner with Head Coach, Evan Osterhout:
“Commitment to team defence versus some strong competition was the goal for the weekend. Although the team came up short on Sunday, they played for each other and made some good strides for the rest of the season.”
Next Up: Friday, November 17th @ North Central Predators