The Muskoka Rock Atom Team had an amazing weekend, playing 5 games in 3 days at the Liftlock Tournament. These boys were not fazed when tournament organizers moved the team up to the next division, in fact they rose to the challenge, and remained undefeated for the weekend. Jack Tynan details the events as they unfolded.
PETERBOROUGH — It took two overtime periods, five games and 190 minutes of play.
The Muskoka Rock atoms celebrated a weekend of tough competition on the ice in the province’s largest atom-level hockey tournament last weekend.
In a nail-biter on the Ontario Hockey League Peterborough Pete’s ice surface, the atoms carried a 1-1 tie into first one, and then a second overtime period after forward Alex Crawford scored in the third against the Mississippi Thunder Kings, assisted by Daynon Cox and Tyler Stephen.
Then Crawford struck again halfway through the second overtime, knocking one in during a scramble in front of the net to capture the D division tournament win.
The 57-year-old tournament, with 97 teams, nine divisions and nearly 200 games, played over four days at nine area rinks, started for the Muskoka Rock atoms on Friday afternoon with a tight 2-0 shutout win for goaltender Ethan Grigg over the Glanbrook Rangers. Aidan Martin and Josh Terry scored their team’s opening goals, with assists by Stephen and Martin.
On Saturday morning, the Rock atoms dominated for Grigg’s second shutout, pouring on the goals for a 16-0 win over the Quinte West Hawks. Scorers included Martin (four), Stephen (three), Cox (two), Crawford (two), Terry, Gavin Eberle (two) and Dylan Hendrick (two). The game also showcased the team’s defensive end strengths, including several pass interceptions by defenceman Jax Marshall.
Grigg earned his third shutout with a 7-0 win later Saturday against the Baltimore Ice Dogs, with goals by Eberle (three), Terry (two), Hendrick and Crawford.
In their quarterfinal matchup Saturday afternoon versus the Shelbourne Wolves, the Rock gave up their first goal of the tournament, but prevailed 4-1 with goals by Tanner Clifford, Crawford (two) and Hendrick, leading their way to the intense back-and-forth championship win on the OHL ice surface on Sunday.
What a weekend it was for this team of dedicated players, parents and fans!