This week saw the U15 Gillespie's Tree Service Red Devils travelling to the GTA to participate in the Toronto Marlboros Holiday Classic tournament after some much needed holiday time off.
Their first game action on Friday saw them take on the provincially top rated Markham Majors. Markham handled the challenge the team presented with the lone offensive tally coming on the power play off the stick of Andrew Laurin after a couple of nice passes from Trent Clow and Lawson Minifie.
The squad looked to rebound on Saturday morning against the Kitchener Jr Rangers. Lauchlan Whelan got the scoring started early in the first frame after a nice breakout sequence by Brechyn Aird and Andrew Laurin. Kitchener responded twice to take a 2-1 lead into the break. The second period saw no scoring by either team and the third was all Quinte. Austin Preston tied the game up after a great series of passing by John Korver and Coen Lowry. Laurin put QRD ahead for good after Preston turned over a puck deep in Kitchener territory and hit him in the slot. Korver sealed the game on a great tip off an Aird blast from the point. Lowry picked up an assist on the play as well.
The 4-2 win over Kitchener evened the team's record heading into the afternoon tilt with the Woodbridge Wolfpack, a top 25 team in the US from New Jersey. The Wolfpack jumped out to a 1-0 lead late in the first period and that is the way this back and forth contest would stay through the second period as well. Lauchlan Whelan converted a turnover late in the third to tie the game up before a fortunate bounce for Woodbridge would give them a 2-1 victory and set up a must win game on Sunday morning where QRD and the Grey-Bruce Highlanders entered the game with 1-2 records and the winner would move on to the round of 16 playoffs.
The squad came out firing on all cylinders against the Highlanders, never letting the them get in the game. Ewan Dahle and Andrew Laurin had a goal each for QRD to take a 2-0 lead after the first. Assists going to Noah Kennedy and Brechyn Aird on Laurin's goal. The score would stay that way through the 2nd as well before the floodgates opened in the 3rd with QRD pouring in 3 goals off the sticks of Cohen Stewart, Laurin again, and John Korver. Coen Lowry picked up an assist on Stewart's goal, Spencer Harold and Trent Clow added helpers on Laurin's second, and Lowry again on Korver's goal. The 5-0 win set up a date with the Minuteman Flames in the round of 16.
Based out of Marlborough, Mass the 5th ranked team in the US was full value in a back and forth affair. After falling in a 2-0 hole, Austin Preston answered for QRD halfway through the 2nd period with an assist from John Korver. The Flames would answer back before Lawson Minifie tipped a Brechyn Aird shot to make it 3-2. Andrew Dewar also picked up a helper on the play. The Flames would net one more against a very short handed squad before it was all over to end the tournament for the U15 gang. Nate Ferriss and Rory Young were outstanding in net all 5 games.
The squad plans to enjoy another short break and heal up before heading to Milton for the OMHA Showcase Weekend. Our favourite team from the East will take on Western representatives the Southern Tier Admirals Friday morning at 11:15 (pad A) and the Sudbury Wolves Saturday Morning at 8:30 (pad D). All games will be played at the Milton Sports Centre and available on LiveBarn.