Tournament Results
U11s Finish with statement win vs. Kitchener
A good night rest and a new arena was exactly what the U11 Rockhounds needed as they came out refocussed and ready to play Saturday morning. They started out strong with a goal from Hector Medland 3 minutes into the opening frame. The Rockhounds found themselves a man short on an uneven roughing call, but managed to capitalize on a fast break chance as Medland scored his second to stretch the lead to two. The Kodiak's managed to sneak one past goalie Jack Wilson before the end of the period to narrow the gap to 2-1. The U11s found themselves in penalty trouble in the second period taking a collective 10 minutes to more than double their output from the previous two games. Kitchener took full advantage of the tired legs to score 3 straight to take a 4-2 lead. Medland would score his hat trick goal before the end of the period to reduce the deficit to 1 and set up a fantastic finish between the two teams. It would be the Kodiaks who would strike first to widen their lead and with penalty trouble continuing for the Rockhounds, Kitchener had all the momentum. Then facing a 5 on 3 penalty kill, Wilson relayed the ball to Ben Hepting who sprung Medland on a break to score his 4th of the game. Fresh out of the box, Blair Simerson added a marker of his own to draw the Rockhounds even and Medland would add another short handed tally to give the Rockhounds the lead. While Kitchener was pressing for the equalizer, they took only their second penalty of the game and calling a time out with a minute and 30 left the Rockhounds drew up their game plan to finish strong. Missing on their first opporunity, the U11s grabbed the loose ball and went back on the attack finding the insurance marker with half a minute to play. The Sudbury defense finished strong and the Rokchounds ended their season with a hard earned 7-5 victory.
U11s hounded by the Hawks
Facing a must win scenario the U11 to keep their group hopes alive, the U11 Rockhounds came out of the gate fast with a goal by Hector Medland 50 seconds into the opening frame. Showing the high octane offense they displayed in their first game, the Hawks responded with 5 quick goals that the Rockhounds had no answer for. A timeout to regroup righted the team effort as they stopped the onslaught and responded with two goals of their own on a pair of markers from Daxton Wabano before Hunstville managed to sneak one in before the end of the 1st. The Rockhounds took the intermission to remind themselves of how they play their game and scored the first goal of the period with Medland's second of the game. The Sudbury defense stood up to the long change and they kept Hunstville to only 2 goals in the frame. While the heat of the arena got to the Rokchounds in the third, there was a brightspot with Blair Simerson scoring his first goal as a Rockhound on a laser shot. The Rockhounds would drop the game 13-5 dashing their knockout stage hopes, but they will look to finish strong tomorrow in their final group game against Kitchener.
U11s edged out by lincoln
The U11 Rockhounds kicked off the last set of games of the OLA season for the GSLA with a game against the Lincoln Redcoats. Sporting a full compliment of players for the first time this season, an early signal cross allowed Lincoln to take an early 1-0 lead. Settling into their game Hector Medland righted the ship for the Rockhounds before the end of the period to give Sudbury a 2-1 lead headed into the 2nd. It would be Lincoln who took advantage of the long change in the 2nd slipping defenders in behind the Rockhounds and while Jack Wilson stood on his head stopping shots, the Redcoats managed to get 2 by him to take a narrow 3-2 lead. Bo Michelutti and Jimmy Simpson would return the favour scoring some fast break goals to restore the Sudbury lead before the end of the period. Lincoln would continue to press and draw even partway through the third and take the lead with half a period to play and adding an insurance marker a minute later. Sudbury looked to have closed the gap to 1 with a goal late in the third, but the play had been blown dead at the other end of the floor due to an injury stoppage. Unable to solve the Lincoln goalie again, the Rockhounds lost the opener 6-4. They'll look to rebound this afternoon against Huntsville to keep their group chances alive.
U22s Complete Threepeat with win over Orangeville
After edging out the Newmarket Redbirds in overtime during their semifinal the Northmen had their sights set on knocking the Rockhounds off the top of the provincial mountain. They carried the tight checking play from their semifinal over into the championship game and managed to score the first goal. Showing their championship pedigree, the Rockhounds responded with a goal by Jacob Hickerson a minute later to equalize the game. Organeville would pull ahead with the next goal taking a slim 2-1 lead into the second. The Rockhounds had 3 powerplay opportunities in the 2nd, but couldn't capitalize. The stingy Sudbury D also kept the Northmen from widening their lead setting up a fantastic final frame. Getting another powerplay opportunity, this time the Rockhounds made good with Ben Harris tying the game. The Rockhounds would then take the lead a few minutes later on a goal by Jacob Barney. Kai D'amour would provide an insurance marker with 3 minutes left, but Orangeville wasn't looking to go away quietly. They cut the lead to 1 with 40 seconds remaining but could get no closer as Mason Roberston stopped the last push and the Rockhounds claimed their 3rd U22 title in as many seasons with a thrilling 4-3 victory.
U22s punch ticket to final in win over Timberwolves
The quest for a threepeat is alive and well after the Rockhounds battled the Simcoe Timberwolves in the semifinals. It would be the Timberwolves who would strike first as they scored just over a minute into the game. This would be the only goal that Mason Roberston would let in as he shut the door the rest of the was and let the Sudbury offense take charge. Xavier Esquimaux-Osawamick tied things up before the end of the 1st and Sudbury kicked things into high gear with goals by Cody Wahl, Alex Hachez and Daniel Czerwinski to take a 4-1 lead into the final period of play. Hachez and Czerwinski would each add another as they moved onto the finals in convincing fashion with a 6-1 victory. The championship game takes place at 2:45pm today.
Late heroics have U22s topple the Rampage
A win would ensure that the U22s moved on to the semifinals. West Grey needed a victory to ensure they had any chance of moving on. With the stakes high, both teams came out battling. Sudbury stayed on the right side of the line as it was the Rampage that found themselves in early penalty trouble taking 4 minors in the opening frame to Sudbury's one. Their penalty kill was solid though as they killed them all and used that momentum to take the lead with a minute to go in the first period. Time and space remained hotly contested in the 2nd, but the Rockhounds would finally breakthrough midway through the frame on a goal by Mason Lachance. West Grey would retake the lead two minutes later before Jacob Barney got in on the scoring to send the game to the third knotted at 2. It looked like the teams would be heading to a 2 all draw, but Barney had other ideas as he found the net off a feed from Ben Harris with 1:43 remaining to give the Rokchounds the narrow lead. West Grey pushed, but couldn't find the equalizer as the U22s hung on for the 3-2 win. With the victory and a tie between Peterborough and Newmarket, the Rokchounds clinched top spot in the group and will play in the semi finals Thursday at 11am. Their opponent to be determined by the outcome of the Orangeville vs. Simcoe games currently underway.
U22s right ship in third to take down lakers
A Newmarket win against West Grey made the U22 game against Peterborough a must win game to give them a good chance to finish in one of the top two group spots. The Lakers meanwhile looked to dash Sudbury's hopes and came out strong scoring less than a minute into the game to take the early lead. That didn't sit well with the Hounds and Ben Harris tied the game 26 seconds later. Goals continued to come fast and furious as Peterborough retook the lead 50 seconds later and Ashton Eadie drew the Rockhounds square just over a minute after that. The Lakers would take their third lead of the period halfway through the frame, but Jacob Hickerson would once again draw the Hounds even with a goal a minute after that. The teams settled into a more defensive minded game after that and went into the first intermission tied at 3. Peterborough would score the go ahead goal partway through the 2nd stanza, but with another quick response, Alex Hachez knotted the game just over a minute later. The lakers would retake the lead with 3 minutes left in the period and put the Rockhounds' season on the ropes with 15 minutes left to play. The Lakers ground time off the clock and with 5 minutes left, things were starting to look bleak, but then Ben Harris scored the equalizer that sparked the Sudbury offense into overdrive. Eadie, Carter Balkwill and Daniel Czerwinski all scored in a 4 minute span that Peterborough had no answer for. The Rockhounds would go on to win 8-5 and set themselves up for a chance to clinch the group with a win over West Grey in the morning.
U22s Draw Opener
The U22s kicked off their provincials with a clash against the Newmarket Redbirds. After a hotly contested first 10 minutes, Jacob Barney broke through to give the Rockhounds the 1-0 advantage after one. It would be Newmarket that would capture the momentum early in the second as they scored their first of 3 straight 50 seconds in to tie the game, culminating with a powerplay marker to go up 3-1. Not to be deterred, Kai D'Amour answered for Sudbury to cut the deficit to 1 headed into the third period. The Rockhounds knew there would be no room for error in the 3rd, so playing hard nosed defense they found the right moment and tied the game 3-3 thanks to a goal by Mason Lachance. Neither team was able to find the net again over the final 10 minutes as the teams battled to a draw. With Peterborough scoring a victory against West Grey, the stakes for the 5:00pm game have gone up as Sudbury will need to win if they want a chance at winning their group.
U9 Run ends with loss to Timberwolves
The U9 Rockhounds knew they'd be in for a fight against another undefeated team in the Simcoe Timberwolves and they came out ready. Strong defense and smart offense allowed them to capitalize first with Pierce Rainville scoring just over three minutes in. Showing the determination that got them to this point, the Timberwolves responded quickly scoring 40 seconds later before taking the lead a minute after that. The Rockhounds regrouped to stop the Timberwolves from gaining more momentum, but Simcoe would find the back on the net towards the tail end of the period to take a 3-1 lead into the 2nd. The Timberwolves would increase their lead early in the second stanza, but the Rockhounds would not go away quietly. They forced their way back into the contest with 2 goals (Noah Legault & Rainville) within a minute to end the period, closing the gap to 4-3 with a period to play. Unfortunately for the young Hounds, they found themselves in penalty trouble during the third taking 4 straight highsticking calls. Simcoe managed to capitalize scoring 3 powerplay goals to widen their lead and would add 2 others as they eliminated Sudbury by a 9-3 score. While the 3rd period may not have gone the way the U9s planned, they have a lot to be proud of this season with the tremendous growth that they showed as a team. The whole organization is proud of how they represented the city and look forward to watching them continue to grow in the years to come!
U9s in Back and Forth Battle with Pelham
The U9 Rockhounds cruised into the quarterfinals with 4 straight wins and were facing their toughest task against the Pelham Raiders who rattled off a few big wins in group play. It was the Raiders who would get on the board first with a goal 16 seconds into the game. It didn't phase the Rockhounds though as they settled into their game and a goal by Grayson Antonio evened the score midway through the frame. The Raiders would regain the lead just under two minutes later before Sudbury turned up the pressure and scored two straight goals (Taylin Johnson & Antonio) to close out the period and take a narrow 3-2 lead into the intermission. Troy Michelutti would add a 3rd unanswered goal to widen the Rockhound lead to two before Pelham would erase the deficit by scoring two goals in the middle part of the period. A goal by Johnson with 35 seconds left in the second restored Sudbury's one goal lead headed into the third. The Raiders would come out strong and score the equalizer off the draw, but soon found themselves in trouble with a 5 minute high sticking major. Undeterred, Pelham kept the pressure up and scored shorthanded to give themselves the lead. Johnson would turn the tide scoring her hat trick goal on the powerplay just over a minute later setting up a frantic finish. As the teams traded shots, it would be the Rockhounds who would score with Michelutti getting his seond of the game with 5 minutes left to take the advantage. The defense and goaltender Jack Lamoureux weathered the final push and held on for a 7-6 win. With the victory, the Rockhounds move on to the semis at 9am to play the group 4 winning Simcoe Timberwolves with a spot in the finals on the line.
U9s finish group stage with tight one vs. Tyendinaga
The U9 Rockhounds looked to keep things rolling with a strong performance in their group finale prior to their quarter final match up. Tyendinaga was looking to do the same having eliminated Kahnawake with a victory earlier in the day. Goals were much tougher to come by in the second meeting between the teams, but it was Sudbury who managed to find the back of the net first with a goal by Grayson Antonio midway through the first period. Defense was the story from there as the Rockhounds stifled all Thunderbird attempts on the net for the opening period. The Rockhounds would give themselves an insurance marker 30 seconds into the second frame before Tyendinaga closed the gap back to 1 a few minutes later. Sudbury would restore the two goal lead with a goal by Liam Timony with 5 minutes left to go and carried it into the intermission. Jack Lamoureux and the Sudbury defense stood tall in the third keeping Tyendinaga off the scoresheet and sealing a perfect 4-0 group stage with a 3-1 victory. The U9s look primed for their toughest test yet as they take on Pelham at 6pm with a spot in the semi finals on the line.
U9s clinch group with big win over Kahnawake
The U9 Rockhounds punched their ticket to the knockout stage of the provincials with a 12-1 win over Kahnawake in their third of four games in the group stage. The second meeting between the two teams didn't have the same dramatics as the first as goalie Jack Lamoureux stood tall for his team only being beaten once in the 2nd period while his offense did the rest. The Rockhounds scored three goals in the first period with goals by Noah Legault, Grayson Antonio and a shorthanded tally by Pierce Rainville. The trio each again in the second to double the lead. Antonio and Rainville would each complete hat-tricks before the Mohawks finally answered to take a commanding 8-1 lead into the third. The young Hounds would score 4 more in the final frame with Antonio getting his 4th, Amelia Rancourt & Taylin Johnson getting in on the action and Rainville scoring a buzzer beater with 6 seconds left. The U9s will play Tyendinaga for the second time to round out group play at 1:30 before taking on the Pelham Raiders in the quarterfinals at 6pm
4 Goal first pace U9s to Win over Mohawks
It took 30 seconds for Taylin Johnson to to find the back of the net for the Rockhounds vs. Kahnawake and they kept pushing for more scoring 3 more times (Pierce Rainville 2 & Troy Michelutti) over the first five minutes to jump out to a 4-0 lead. The Mohawks would respond with 2 of their own before the end of the period. Kahnawake would get on the board first in the second frame to narrow the gap to one, but Johnson responded with her second just under a minute later to restore the two goal cushion for the Rockhounds headed into the 3rd period. Sudbury would score the first two goals of the final frame with Rainville and Johnson completing their respective hat tricks to put Mohawks on their heels but a two straight goals during the middle part of the period closed the gap back to two. The Mohawks would only find the back of the net one more time, while Sudbury would score two insurance markers (Rainville & Grayson Antonio) to move to 2-0 with a 9-6 victory. The win puts the U9s in control of their own fate as another victory in group play would all but guarantee they move on to the knockout round.
U9s open with big win vs. Tyendinaga
Opening up their provincials in a 3 team group, the U9 Rockhounds met Tyendinaga for the first of two meetings. It would be the young Rockhounds who found the back of the net first, with Taylin Johnson scoring just over midway through the opening frame. The Thunderbirds managed to tie the game a few minutes later knotting the game 1-1 after 1. Defense and goaltending continued to be strong points for both teams through the second period but the Rockhounds would finally breakthrough again with Pierce Rainville scoring with just over 2 minutes left in the frame and quickly adding another helping the Rockhounds look poised to take a 2 goal lead into the third. Tyendinaga had other ideas though as they scored with 14 seconds left in the frame to narrow the gap to 1 after 2. Not satisfied with 2 goals, Rainville exploded for 3 more in the third as the Rockhounds widened their lead to 3 before the Thunderbirds would answer. That would be as close as they got though, as the teams would exchange goals to close out the game with Johnson book-ending the scoring with her 2nd as Sudbury went on to a 7-4 win.
U15s complete Provincials with strong effort vs. Blaze
The U15s finished up their season with a match against pool winner Burlington Saturday afternoon. Both teams came out with strong efforts, but it would be the Blaze who would strike first capitalizing on a Sudbury interference call to take the early lead. They would add another 5 minutes later and with Sudbury taking a slashing major looked poised to take a commanding lead, however it would be the Rockhounds that took advantage of the penalty, with Wyatt Pardal and Jackson Mead scoring short-handed tallies to tie the game at 2 after 1. In a near mirror image of the first, Burlington jumped out to another 2 goal lead before the Rockhounds started to chip away at it with goals by Mead and Koda Peltier. Unfortunately for the Rockhounds, for each goal they scored Burlington responded with one of their own within a minute allowing them to keep their two goal lead leaving them headed up 6-4 into the third. Burlington would widen their lead to 3 with a powerplay goal 5 minutes in, but Shkwaandem-Ninii Osawamick would respond with a goal for Sudbury just over a minute later. Unfortunately, the U15s couldn't string together goals to close the gap any further. Tucker Johnson scored the last goal of the U15 season as they finished up with an 8-6 final.
U13s Ousted By Bombers
The goal was clear for the U13 Rockhounds as they took on Barrie for 2nd spot in the group and a place in the quarterfinals on the line. It would be Barrie that struck first out of the gate though, taking the lead just 15 seconds into the contest. Unfaultered by the quick attack, the Rokchounds regrouped and found the equalizer partway through the frame. The Bombers didn't take kindly to the push-back as they regained the lead a minute later and gave themselves a 2 goal advantage with another marker before the end of the period. Facing an uphill battle, the U13s pushed hard in the second and struck on the powerplay with 2 minutes remaining in the frame while their defense kept Barrie off the scoreboard to make the game 3-2 after 2. Down by one with their season on the line, Sudbury continued to push but it would be the Bombers who would find the back of the net next to widen their lead to 2 with 3 minutes remaining. An ill timed cross checking penalty hampered the Rockhounds attack and while they valiantly pulled the goalie in a last minute effort to climb back into the contest, the Bombers would score an empty netter to seal a 5-2 victory and end the Rockhounds season.
U15s Eliminated vs. Six Nations
Taking on Six Nations in their second game, the U15s knew it would be a game they'd have to win if they hoped to move on from group play. It would be Six Nations that struck first though scoring just over a minute into the contest. Not shaken though, the Rockhounds scored the equalizer 3 minutes later on a Wyatt Pardal tally. The inability to finish on the powerplay that stymied the Rockhounds in their opener wasn't the case in this one as their next two goals would be powerplay tallies from Koda Peltier and Pardal adding his second of the game. Unfortunately, Six Nations would respond to each Sudbury goal with one of their own leading to a 4-4 score early in the final frame. It would be Six Nations that would take control scoring with just over 10 minutes left before adding a powerplay marker with half a period to play. The U15s continued to push hard but found themselves in penalty trouble as a result. Undeterred, they managed to close the gap to 1 on a shorthanded goal from Jackson Mead, but playing the last 3 minutes of the game 2 men down they could get no closer as they dropped another close one 6-5. With the loss, the U15s won't be able to advance out of the group stage but they will look to go out making a statement as they take on group leader Burlington tomorrow afternoon.
U13s Grounded by Griffins
Facing their second Griffins team in as many games, the Rockhounds looked to keep things rolling but this time against the Griffins from Gloucester. The name would be the only similarity to the prior game as these Griffins came out flying early scoring 30 seconds into the opening frame while adding another just under a minute later. Sudbury would stop the onslaught by scoring a powerplay goal on an errant high-stick from Gloucester but the Griffins would quickly respond with a short handed tally, coincidentally enough on another high-sticking call. Special teams would continue to play a role as the Griffins would add another short handed marker and a powerplay goal of their own around a Sudbury response to extend their lead 5-2. The teams would continue to exchange goals as Gloucester stretched their lead to 7-3. Sudbury would make a charge with two late goals, but ultimately fell to 1-1 in group play with a 7-5 loss. The Rockhounds remain in control of their fate as a win in the morning vs. the Barrie Bombers would assure them 2nd place in the group and a spot in the quarterfinals.
U15s lose heartbreaker to Kodiaks in Provincial Opener
Kicking off their round robin vs. Kitchener, the U15s came flying out of the gate with Malik Jakubo scoring a goal just under a minute into the first period. While Sudbury had 6 powerplay opportunities in the opening frame they couldn't capitalize as Kitchener would score 2 of the next three goals (Koda Peltier adding the Sudbury marker) to send the game to the 2nd tied at 2. Special teams would finally breakthrough for the Rockhounds in the 2nd as Jakubo added his second as the lone marker in the period on the powerplay to give them a 1 goal edge heading into the 3rd; a frame they would enter into short-handed after taking a slashing major. Kitchener managed to draw the game even as a result setting up an exciting finish. The importance of an opening win wasn't lost on both teams and floor space was hotly contested in the 3rd, leading to offsetting roughing calls and powerplay chances on both sides. It would be the Kodiaks that would take advantage though as they scored the game winner on a powerplay to give them a narrow 4-3 victory.
U13s Wallop WallaceBurg in Provincial Opener
Opening up round robin play vs. Wallaceburg, the U13 Rockhounds looked to take control of their own destiny early but the Griffins had the same plans. It was Sudbury who would breakthrough first with a goal with just over 3 minutes remaining in the 1st period. The Rockhounds would capitalize on their momentum early in the second frame as they would add a second goal just two minutes in while killing off a high-sticking minor and would extend their lead on the powerplay in the latter half of the frame to go ahead 3-0 headed into the 3rd. While Wallaceburg would push, the Rockhound defense stood tall and capitalized on the chances the Griffins presented adding 3 more goals to finish their opener with a convincing 6-0 win.
U9s BreakThrough vs. Visiting Hawks
Hosting the Huntsville Hawks for a pair of friendly games, the Rockhounds game out of the gate quickly wirh Pierce Rainville scoring a goal 30 seconds into the opening frame. Undeterred, the Hawks responded just under a minute later and took the lead shortly after that to give them a 2-1 advantage heading into the 2nd period. Special teams would be the name of the game in the second frame as Sudbury would tie the game early with a powerplay marker from Troy Michelutti while Huntsville would give themselves another one goal edge with a short handed tally just before the end of the period. Chasing the equalizer, the Rockhounds Jack Gainer managed to score with 10 minutes left setting up a fantastic finish. While the teams traded chances, neither could solve the goaltending walls and the game ended in a 3-3 draw.
The second game picked up right where the first left off as both teams were unable to find the back of the net in the first period with Jack Lamoureux standing tall between the pipes for Sudbury. It would be Huntsville who would get on the board early in the second before adding a powerplay tally with two and a half minutes left to widen the lead to two. It was this goal that kicked the Rockhounds into gear as rather than waiting for the intermission to regroup, they exploded for 3 goals (Jack Gainer scoring in between 2 from Pierce Rainville) in the final two minutes, including a goal with 6 seconds left to take a narrow 3-2 lead into the third. Defense and goaltending stole the show in the third with teams trading chances but it would be the Rockhounds, in the form of Noah Legault, who would score an insurance marker by capitalizing on their lone powerplay in the third to edge the Hawks 4-2 earning their first win on the season.
U22s fall to Six Nations
Playing the 2nd rank team in the province, the Rockhounds knew they'd have a fight on their hands to keep their tournament alive. Six Nations came roaring out of the gate with a goal 39 seconds into the game and would double their lead on the powerplay generated by a too many men miscue shortly after. It would be Ben Harris who would respond for Sudbury less than a minute later to show that the U22s wouldn't bow out without a fight, but Six Nations would add two more before the end of the frame to restore their two goal lead. Six Nations would continue the onslaught in the 2nd with two more goals a minute apart. The Rockhounds looked to turn the tide by switching between Mason Robertson and Evan Liscoumb between the pipes, but Six Nations would score two more before the end of the frame, including a third powerplay marker in as many chances to give them a commanding 8-1 lead. Resiliency would be the name of the game in the third as where a lesser team would have folded, the Rockhounds shook off another 2 goals from Six Nations to start mounting a comeback. Sudbury would go on to score 5 straight on a natural hat trick from Jacob Barney, Ben Harris adding his second and Daniel Czerwinski scoring on the Rockhounds only powerplay opportunity of the game to close the gap to 4, before Six Nations would find the scoresheet again. Max Vendette would score with a minute left in the game, but the U22 push came up short as Six Nations would eliminate the Rockhounds with a 12-7 victory.
U22s relinquished by Regals
With eyes on top spot in the group, the U22 squad knew that they had to beat Guelph but also knew it wouldn't be easy. Both teams put out solid defensive efforts in the 1st, Sudbury even had a 2 man advantage for 1:40 but neither team could solve the goalies. The Regals would be first to jump on the board in the 2nd scoring just over a minute in before Xavier Esquimaux-Osawamick tied the game with 2 minutes remaining in the 2nd. Kai D'Amour would break the deadlock early in the third and the Rockhounds tried to grind out another close victory. Backed by Mason Robertson's strong play they came close to their goal, but with 4 minutes remaining, the Regals drew even and while it looked like it might stay that way, a controversial tally put the Regals ahead with 2 minutes left to play that the Rockhounds couldn't rally from as they dropped their final group game 3-2. With the loss the U22s will take on Six Nations at 9pm tonight.
U22s Hachez continues hot start vs. Hamilton
Coming off an opening game hat trick, Alex Hachez found himself back on the scoresheet early vs. the Bengals giving the Rockhounds the lead just under 4 minutes into the contest. Hamilton would equalize things before the end of the first, but Hachez would score 2 in the second to give him his second hat trick in as many games before Ben Harris would add a tally to extend the Sudbury lead to 3 headed into the 3rd. Hamilton would push the pace early with a goal under a minute in and would add a powerplay tally halfway through the frame, but that would be as close as they got as Evan Liscoumb and the Sudbury defense shut the door the rest of the way to hold on for a 4-3 victory. The Rockhounds will take on Guelph at 4:30 with a chance to lock up top spot in group play on the line.
U22s open Conradi with win vs. Hitmen
Drawing a familiar foe in Stayner for the opening game of the Conradi tournament, the U22 squad knew their opponent well. It was the Hitmen who would strike early though as they jumped to an early lead just over 40 seconds into the contest. The momentum wouldn't last long though as Kai D'Amour answered for the Rockhounds less than a minute later. That would be all the scoring for the first, but it was deja vu in the second as D'Amour would score at nearly the same moment in the second frame to give the Rockhounds the lead. Alex Hachez would join in on the scoring midway through the frame and add another one, that would be the eventual game winner, after Stayner responded with a tally of their own. D'Amour and Hachez would both complete their hat tricks and Xavier Esquimaux-Osawamick, Jacob Barney and Ashton Eadie would all score in the third to send Sudbury on to a 9-3 victory.
U13s lose heartbreaker to Windsor
A team with the flair for the dramatics, for the seond straight weekend the U13s were facing the team they played in the opening game of their tournament looking for a different result in the finals. Building on their recent experience, the Rockhounds showed calmness and composure as they settled into their game. It would be midway through the first when they would break through with the game's first goal. The second played out in much the same way as the Sudbury side added a goal just under four minutes into the frame to take a 2 goal advantage into the third period. The Rockhounds knew to expect a push in the third and the Warlocks came out strong, cutting the lead in half 30 seconds into the final frame. The U13s shook off the goal and remained steadfast in their game which soon drew Windsor into penalty trouble. Unable to capitalize on a 2 man advantage, the Rockhounds were happy to take precious time off the clock. Unfortunately, just after the end of the first penalty, the Warlocks sprang their man in on a quick break to tie the game. An untimely check from behind by Sudbury with just under 4 minutes to play would mean the U13s would play short the rest of the game and the Warlocks' powerplay clicked on only their second chance of the game to go up 3-2. Sudbury would try hard for the equalizer, but were unable to pull even and would settle for silver.
U22s drop rematch to Tyendinaga
A spot in the finals was on the line in a rematch between the Rockhounds and the Thunderbirds. Time and space were hard to come by and both goalies were honed in making the rare good looks on net even more valuable. It would by Tyendinaga would would take control of the contest marking themselves out to a 2-1 lead which they held to the latter stages of the 3rd. Undeterred, the Rockhounds continued to push and tied up the game. It looked to be a frenetic finish, but the Thunderbirds managed to regain the lead a short time later and scored an insurance marker on a defensive miscue a minute after that. The Rockhounds wouldn't quit though as they scored to close the gap to 1 and then coming off a wild breakaway stop by Mason Roberston, pulled the goalie for the extra attacker to try and get the equalizer. Unfortunately time expired and the Thunderbirds held on for the narrow 4-3 victory eliminating the Rockhounds from the tournament.
U13s Continue to Roll vs. Akwesasne
The Storm were no match for the Rockhounds on this day, as the U13s started strong scoring on a powerplay goal just over 3 minutes into the opening frame. This would prove to be all the offense the Rockhounds needed as their defense and goaltending shutdown the Storm attack all game. Sudbury's offense on the other hand couldn't be stopped as they would add another in the first, before doubling up their efforts with 4 tallies in the 2nd and the 3rd to take the win in convincing 10-0 fashion. They'll take on Windsor in the final on Sunday, looking to avenge their opening game loss.
U15s score pivotal last goal vs. PEterborough
2 goals in the first staked the Lakers out to a 2-0 lead that the Rockhounds would be chasing all game. The U15s would tie it up with 2 goals in a 3 minute span early in the 2nd, but the Lakers would retake the lead 3 minutes after that. The Rockhounds would tie the game with 3:30 left in the second setting up a fantastic finish. Peterborough would continue to stake themselves out to slim leads, taking a one goal advantage twice in the final frame, but Sudbury would answer quickly each time. At 5-5, it was anyone's game, but the Rockhounds managed to punch home the pivotal goal with 2:54 left to play to take the narrow 6-5 victory.
U9s Compete with Celtics
The U9s were back in action vs. the Cornwall Celtics in their final tournament game. Early on in the games the Celtics set the Rockhounds back on their heels with the opening 2 goals of the contest, but the Sudbury defense settled in and closed the gaps. Unfortunately, Cornwall was able to sneak in one more just before the end of the opening frame. Cornwall would score another to widen their lead to 4, but the U9s would get on the board early in the 2nd to the delight of the crowd. The Celtics didn't like the Rockhounds gaining momentum, so they picked up the physicality and poured on the offense. They pelted goalie Jack Lamoureux with shot after shot but he was up to the task and stood tall. He stopped the majority, but Cornwall would score 6 more to Sudbury's 1 as the Celtics would go on to win 11-2.
U11s grounded by Griffins
The hot weather and the short bench were a bad combination as the U11 squad ran out of steam early against the host Griffins. Unable to match the hot start they had in the Nickel City semi-final, the Rockhounds surrendered 6 of the first 7 goals in the contest to give Gloucester a commanding 6-1 lead after the first. Bo Michelutti scored the lone goal for the Rockhounds in the frame and Hector Medland would add one of his own in the third, but Sudbury didn't have the steam to play their brand of hard nosed defense as they would surrender 11 more over the final two periods dropping the contest 17-2 to end their tournament.
U15s Edged Out By Excelsiors
Taking on a tough test vs. Brampton, the U15 squad came out flying with the first goal of the game. Unfortunately, Brampton wasn't phased by the Rockhounds attack as they responded with the next 8 goals in the contest to take a commanding lead into the third. The Rockhounds managed to find the back of the net again in the third period, but Brampton would add 2 more on their way to a 10-2 victory.
U13s respond with win vs. Blue Devils
Coming off last night's heartbreaking loss, the U13s decided that was a feeling they didn't want to experience again. They struck 3 times in the first, including the eventual game winner 5 minutes into the frame as the offense came in waves at the London defense. The second period was much of the same as the Rockhounds would score 4 more to widen their lead to 7. The consistency would continue in the 3rd as they would score 5 goals to the lone belmish of 1 by the Blue Devils as Sudbury would go on to a 12-1 win.
U9s Show Grit Vs. Griffins
Pierce Rainville and Taylin Johnson provided the offense for the U9 Rockhounds as they took on the host Gloucester Griffins in a rematch from the Nickel City Shootout. The Griffins came out strong, but the Rockhounds managed to keep the score close after 2 periods capitalizing on their chances to give themselves an opportunity in the third trailing 5-3. Unfortunately the legs didn't match the heart that the young Rockhounds showed as the Griffins were able to pour on the offense in the third en route to a 10-3 victory.
U22s take Tyendinaga
The Thunderbirds came out flying, scoring a goal less than a minute into the game, but Alex Hachez would score the next two for the Rockhounds to give them a 2-1 lead after 1. The Tyendinaga would tie it up early in the second before Hachez would complete the hat trick. A Powerplay goal and a last minute marker by the Thunderbirds would put the Rockhounds down 1 heading into the 3rd, but they responded to the task. Ashton Eadie would tie the game up on the powerplay and Alex Hachez would score his fourth for the eventual game winner and Carter Balkwill provided the insurance as the Rockhounds came away with a 6-4 victory.
U11s Fall to Khanawake
Going into the game, the U11 Rockhounds knew that they'd have a short bench compared to their Mohawk counterparts, so they knew to adjust their game plan accordingly. It took some time to adapt, which allowed the Mohawks to jump out to an early 5-0 lead, but thanks to the returning Jack Wilson the damage was much less than it could have been. The Rockhounds righted the ship in the intermission and came out flying as Jimmy Simpson got the team on the board 12 seconds into the 2nd. Daxtonb Wabano and Hector Medland would combine for 2 shorthanded tallies in a powerplay marker to allow the Rockhounds to climb back in the game, before Khanawake poured on the offense in the last 3 minutes to extend their lead to 10-4. The shorthanded U11s played hard in the third, backed by the strong defensive play of Blake Dumont, but couldn't overcome the numbers as they fell 14-5.
Goaltending Shines as Goals hard to come by in U22 opener.
The U22s kicked off their Ray Broadworth Memorial Tournament in a tough draw vs. Khanawake, but the Rockhounds were up to the task. The game remained scoreless into the 2nd period before Kai D'Amour would break through for Sudbury on the powerplay and Ben Harris would add another just under a minute later to give the Rockhounds a 2-0 lead headed into the third. Jacob Hickerson would add the insurance marker 30 seconds into the final frame before the Mohawks finally solved Mason Roberston with 12 minutes left. That would be as close as they got though as Sudbury held on for the 3-1 win.
U15s slow starts costs them vs. Northumberland
The Nemisis came out fast and furious in the first scoring just under 2 minutes into the contest and adding 4 more en route to a 5-0 lead after 1. After another quick one to start the 2nd, the U15s would find a way to slow the Northumberland attack as they would only let in 3 more goals the rest of the game. The Rockhounds managed to break the shutout bid with 1:29 remaining, but ultimately fell 9-1.
Heat takes its toll as U11s lose opener to Nepean
In sweltering conditions, the shorthanded U11 squad knew they'd be in for a challenge against a fully rostered Nepean team. Little did they know how difficult the trek would get. After the Rockhounds took the early 1-0 lead, heat got to goaltender Jack Wilson who had to be removed from the game due to illness. Taking his place between the pipes was Ben Hepting which put Sudbury down another runner. As they adjusted to their new lineup, Nepean managed to take a 3-1 lead, but Sudbury scored just before the end of the period to close the gap to 1 after 1. The long change allowed Nepean to stretch out the Sudbury defense and their lead to 5-2 before the Rockhounds scored 3 of their own to tie up the game. From there, the teams exchanged goals before the Knights were able to string two together to go up 9-7. The Rockhounds battled to the end but ultimately fell 12-9.
3rd period the difference for Warlocks in U13 opener
Coming off their Nickel City championship, the U13s were in for a tough test vs. the Windsor Warlocks. Windsor scored the game's opening goal, but the Rockhounds answered back with a short handed tally to tie the game at 1s after 1. Building off that momentum, the U13s scored another early in the 2nd, but the Warlocks didn't allow the tide to fully turn. The teams would go goal for goal over the course of the period with Sudbury coming out with a narrow 1 goal lead to start the third. The Warlocks goalie shutdown the Sudbury offense for the remainder to the game to give his team the chance and they didn't disappoint as they scored the two goals they needed on a late Sudbury major penalty to take the win with 2 seconds remaining edging the Rockhounds 6-5.
u9s Fall to Khanawake
Getting back to tournament action after a strong finish to the Nickel City Shootout, the U9 Rockhounds were in tough vs. the Khanawake Mohawks in their opening contest of the Ray Broadworth Memorial Tournament. The U9s held their own for the first, responding the an early Mohawk goal with a powerplay marker and holding the Khanawake offense to only 3 more in the period. The second period was a different story as the Mohawks stretched out the Rockhounds defense and scored 8 goals in the period on the long change. Shaking it off, the Rockhounds came out strong in the 3rd period holding Khanawake to only 2 goals while Taylin Johnson scored a beautiful goal to cap off the Rockhounds effort. The Mohawks would take the game 14-2, but the young Rockhounds had plenty to be proud of with their effort.
U13s take Gold in OPening Game Rematch
The tournament started with a draw between the two teams, so a championship rematch seemed a fitting way to end the tournament. Both teams managed to find the back of the net in the first before the Rockhounds found another gear in the second scoring 4 unanswered goals to take a 5-1 lead into the 3rd. Brantford looked posied to start the 3rd closing the gap to 3, but the Rockhound offense proved to be too much as they added two more to take their home tournament with a convincing 8-2 win.
U22s take Third vs. Barrie
The Consolation finals kicked off with the Bombers capitalizing on a powerplay goal 5 minutes into the opening fame but Jack Gouchie answered for the Rokchounds on one of their own. It looked like it would stay a draw into the second before Barrie added a tally with 56 seconds left to take a 2-1 lead into the intermission. Alex Hachez tied the game early in the second before Barrie retook the lead. From there, the U22s put their defense on lock and let the offense take care of the rest. Ashton Eadie and Alex Hachez scored in the 2nd before Ben Harris added one in the third and Hachez completed the hat trick to lock up the bronze with a 6-3 victory.
U15s fall in semi to the Kings.
A 3 goal first period set the U15 Rockhounds on their heels, and two goals to start the 2nd made it look like Orillia would run away with the game, but the Rockhounds dug in and finally broke through with Jackson Mead finding the back of the net on the powerplay with 3 minutes left in the frame. Koda Peltier scored with 11 minutes left and while the offense kept pushing, they couldn't find the score sheet until the last minute of play when Aidan O'Coin scored to close the gap to 2, but that was as close as they would get as the Kings moved on to the final with a 5-3 victory.
U13s punch ticket to finals vs. Kings
In a remtach from the round robin, the Rockhounds knew they'd expect a hard push from the Kings and their defense was up to the task. A scoreless first period bled into the 2nd before the Rockhounds finally broke through with the game's first goal with 10 minutes left in the frame. It turns out that would be all they needed as regardless of how hard the Kings pushed, they could not solve the Sudbury goaltending. Captializing on their chances, the Rockhounds added 3 more and punched their ticket to the finals with a 4-0 win.
U11s Fall in Semis to Griffins
In a rematch from yesterday's round robin finish, the U11s took on the top seeded Griffins in the semi final. The Rockhounds knew they would need to play hard all three periods and they did just that. Shaking off an early tally, the Rockhounds potted the next 3 goals (Hector Medland (2) & Daxton Wabano) to give them a 3-1 going into the second. Knowing they couldn't have a repeat of the previous days performance, the Rockhounds battled hard, but the Griffins offense poured in 6 goals. Showing determination goals by Medland and Jimmy Simpson closed the gap to 2 to set up a fantastic 3rd. Pushing hard to punch their ticket to the semis, the Griffins widened their lead to 5 to start the 3rd, but playing to the final whistle, the Rockhounds added one more falling in a valiant effort 10-5
U22s fall to .500 with loss to Newmarket.
Looking to rebound from their earlier loss, the Rockhounds were taking on the Redbirds in their last game of the round robin. The U22s got off to a hot start with a goal by Cody Wahl just over a minute into the game. The Redbirds would equalize the game before the end of the first, before taking the lead early in the 2nd before Alex Hachez would draw the homeside even. The teams would continue to trade goals with Newmarket potting two around a goal from Ashton Eadie to give them a 4-3 lead heading into the final frame. Sudbury was unable to find the back on the net in the final stanza while Newmarket added two insurance markers to drop the Rockhounds to 2-2 with a 6-3 loss.
U13s find a Kings Ransom
Taking on the Orillia Kings, the U13s looked to finish in top spot in their group with a victory. The Rockhounds were up to the assignment as they scored 3 goals in the first, 4 goals in the second and 3 goals in third while Wyatt Williams shut the door the whole way to give the U13s top spot in their group with a 10-0 victory.
Second period sinks U11s vs. Gloucester
Looking to build off the morning win, the U11 squad were back in action vs. the Griffins. An early goal by Gloucester didn't phase the Rockhounds as they stuck to their gameplan drawing 2 minor penalties with their hardwork and determination, capitalizing with a goal by Hector Medland to tie the game. The Griffins would regain the lead before the end of the 1st, but Sudbury had all the momentum. The second period was a different story as the U11s didn't have the energy to withstand the Gloucester onslaught as they surrendered 9 goals before the period mercifully ended. The 3rd was a much different story as the Rockhounds plugged the defensive holes only giving up 3 while responding with 2 of their own, but they ultimately fell 14-3. The two teams will meet in a remtach in the semi final Sunday Morning.
U9s show grit vs. Griffins
It looked like the Rockhounds weren't able to shake the fatigue from the earlier battle with Whitby as the Griffins jumped out to an early 3-0 lead before the Rockhounds answered with a goal of their own on the powerplay. While it looked like momentum would be changing, the Griffins scored a powerplay marker of their own to take a 4-1 lead into the 2nd. The Rockhounds intermission speech worked as they found another gear exploding for 4 goals in the 2nd to close the gap to 1 after the Griffins tallied two goals of their own. This set up a fantastic finish as Gloucester restored their two goal advantage off the draw in the 3rd before Sudbury would tie it up with two straight tallies of their own including a powerplay marker to put the Griffins on their heels. While the U9 squad played hard they just couldn't find the back of the net again, as the Griffins managed to break the tie with 10 minutes left and scored the game winner just over a minute later seal the 9-7 victory.
U22s Run Into Rampage
Looking to continue their perfect start to the tournament, the U22 squad took on West Grey as round robin action continued. After a scoreless 1st period, Mason Lachance broke through for the Rockhounds with a short handed tally and Alex Hachez doubled the lead just under two minutes later. West Grey remained steadfast in their attack and responded with two of their own before the end of the 2nd period. Sudbury looked to take the lead with seconds remaining, but a goal was called back on a crease violation. That reversal of fortune proved to be the difference as West Grey would break the deadlock with just under 6 minutes left in the third and added the insurance 3 minutes later to seal a 4-2 win for the Rampage.
U15s Bounce Back vs. Mississauga
Jackson Mead opened the scoring for the U15s, before the badgers responded just over a minute later scoring 2 quick goals. Undeterred, the Rockhounds answered back in the form of Malik Jakubo who would score 2 of his own to give the Rockhounds a 3-2 lead after 1. From there, the Rockhounds offense was the mark of consistency as the scored 3 in the second (Mead, Koda Peltier & Shkwaandem-Ninii Osawamick) and 3 in the 3rd (Jakubo (2) & Mikko Leinala) en route to a convincing 9-3 victory.
U15s Bounce Back vs. Mississauga
Jackson Mead opened the scoring for the U15s, before the badgers responded just over a minute later scoring 2 quick goals. Undeterred, the Rockhounds answered back in the form of Malik Jakubo who would score 2 of his own to give the Rockhounds a 3-2 lead after 1. From there, the Rockhounds offense was the mark of consistency as the scored 3 in the second (Mead, Koda Peltier & Shkwaandem-Ninii Osawamick) and 3 in the 3rd (Jakubo (2) & Mikko Leinala) en route to a convincing 9-3 victory.
U13s weather the Storm
Looking to build off their draw, the U13 squad came out in a big way scoring 4 goals in the first period and besting that tally in the second scoring 5 to build up a 9-0 lead after 2. It looked like Wyatt Williams was on his way to a shutout victory, but Akwesasne broke through on a powerplay with 11 minutes left. Looking to make up for it, the Rockhounds added 2 more to finish with an 11-1 victory.
U11s Outlast Outlaws
Looking to rebound from their opening game, the U11 Rockhounds came out flying at the start of their game vs. North Perth as Daxton Wabano scored 15 seconds into the game Hector Medland would score his first of 8 goals 3 minutes later and the Rockhounds never looked back. When the Outlaws found cracks in the Sudbury defense, goalie Jack Wilson was there to shut the door giving the U11 squad their first victory of the tournament 10-5.
U9s Make progress vs. Warriors
Looking to build off their first taste of game experience, the U9 squad took on the always strong Whitby Warriors in the second game of their round robin. While they might not have scored the first goal, the young Rockhounds defense tightened up only allowing 3 goals in the first, one of which was a buzzer beater with 5 seconds to play. Pleased with the progress, the Rockhounds came out energized in the 2nd scoring just over a minute into the frame and adding another tally with a minute left to sandwich the lone response from Whitby. Down 4-2 headed into the 3rd, fatigue set in and the U9s surrendered 6 goals and ultimately the game 10-2. There was plenty to be proud of in the game as the Rockhounds look to keep building in their 3rd game vs. Gloucester.
U22s Best Barrie Bombers
Ashton Eadie and Joseph Gouchie kicked things off for the Rockhounds as they staked themselves out to a 2 goal lead after 1. The Rockhounds would pound in 5 more goals from Ben Harris, Kai D'Amour, Alex Hachez, Jacob Barney and another from Gouchie before the Bombers were finally able to solve Evan Liscoumb just before the end of the period. While Barrie would add the lone tally in the 3rd, the U22s moved to 2-0 on the tournament with a 7-2 victory.
U15s Lose To Griffins
An even opening frame was broken open by the Griffins with just over 5 minutes left and they scored another in quick succession before Koda Peltier answered for the Rockhounds. Gloucester would add another to take a 3-1 lead into the 2nd. Shkwaandem-Ninii Osawamick would get the Rockhounds to within 1 but the Griffins would quickly answer. Jackson Mead would pull Sudbury back to within 1 just over a minute later, but 4-3 would be as close as they got as the Griffins pumped up the offense scoring 4 more to close out the period. They would add one more en route to handing the Rockhounds a 9-3 loss.
U11s fall to Whitby
The U11 squad knew they would be in for a tough contest as they took on the Whitby Warriors in their opening game of the Nickel City Shootout. Looking to improve on their slow starts from their previous tournament, the shorthanded Rockhounds squad did just that as they slowed the Warrior attack down in the early portion of the opening frame after giving up a quick goal. Hector Medland would score the equalizer for the Rockhounds and they looked to be setting into a groove before Whitby broke through midway through the frame to give themselves a 5 goal advantage. Daxton Wabano would try to spark the Rockhounds offense back into the game, but tired legs were the story down the stretch as they fell to Whitby 15-2. The U11s will look to rebound in the morning vs. North Perth.
U13s Draw vs. Warriors
Kicking off their round robin, the U13s took on the Brantford Warriors. The teams exchanged chances in the opening frame but it was the Warriors who would break through first, capitalizing on a 4 minute powerplay to give themselves the 1-0 lead after 1. The Rockhounds would tie the game on a powerplay of their own in the 2nd setting up an exciting finish. While it looked like neither squad would be able to solve the goaltenders, Brantford snuck one past Wyatt Williams with 6 minutes left in the game to give the Warriors the lead. Undeterred, the Rockhounds dug deep and scored the equaliser with 2:34 left in the contest to earn a draw.
U9s get first taste of game action vs. North Perth
Feverishly practising for weeks ahead of their first game action of the season, the U9 Rockhounds finally took to the floor vs. North Perth. Excited to get started, the young Rockhounds staked themselves out to an early lead with a goal by Troy Michelutti just under two minutes into the contest. The Outlaws weren't phased by the upstart team as they would go on to score the next 2 goals to take a lead they wouldn't relinquish. While the Rockhounds were able to add a 2nd goal by Pierce Rainville part way through the 3rd, they ultimately fell to the Outlaws 15-2
U22s OPen wIth wIn over lakers
U22 action got underway at the Nickel City Shootout as the hometown Rockhounds took on a tough test in the Peterborough Lakers. The teams looked evenly matched as the game got underway. The Rockhounds took a couple of early penalties, but backed by the goaltending of Mason Roberston the Lakers were kept off the board. Jacob Barney broke the deadlock with 4 minutes left in the opening period and Kai D'Amour would pot a second just over a minute later to stake the Rockhounds out to a 2 goal lead to end the first. Peterborough would cut the deficit to 1 part way through the 2nd, but that would be as close as they got as Sudbury opened the tournament with a 2-1 victory.
U22s comeback bid falls just short.
In a battle of undefeated teams the U22 Rockhounds took on the host Toronto Beaches in the finals of the Hogtown Intermediate Tournament. It would be the hosts who would jump out to an early lead with 2 goals in the first period and another marker 1 minute into the second period to stake themselves out to a 3-0 lead before Alex Hachez responded for the Rockhounds. The push back didn't deter the Beaches though as they scored the next two goals to widen their lead to 5-1. Not ones to rollover, the Rockhounds started to mount their comeback before the end of the second with Alex Hachez scoring his 2nd and Ben Harris adding a tally with 30 seconds left to close the gap to 2 and set up an exciting final frame. The Rockhound onslaught kept coming after the break as the Hachez and Harris duo each scored again to tie the game at 5 leading to a tense final seven minutes of play. Things tightened up and neither team was able to score the go-ahead goal sending the finals into a very fitting winner take all over time. The play ebbed and flowed as the teams battled hard for their chances, but it was the Beaches who would eventually score the game winner with 4 minutes left in triple overtime to cut the Rockhound comeback bid short and take the tournament. The U22s bring home a well earned silver and look ahead to hosting the Nickel City Shootout at the end of the month.
U7s finish strong against Lakers
The U7s saved their best efforts for their last game of the J.R. Robinson Friendly Tournament as they took on the powerhouse Pterborough Lakers. Taking in everything they've learned all season long and from their first three contests, the little Rockhounds came out flying with great efforts on defense and efforts to get the loose balls. Though the legs were tired, everyone on the team did their best to contribute on all aspects of the floor including Max Hepting who dug deep and earned himself the hardworking hat for keeping engaged the entire game.
U22s into final after knocking off Regals
The recipe was simple, win and you're in. Both Guelph and Sudbury took that message to heart and fought for evey inch of floor space on the way to a scoreless first period. Special teams would be the story of the 2nd as the Regals opened the scoring on a powerplay goal The Rockhounds took another penalty right after, but instead it would be Alex Hachez who would score a shorthanded for the Rockhounds to even the score. Kai D'Amour would give the U22s the lead with 4 minutes left in the second and make the 3rd all about closing out the game. The Rockhounds received the message loud and clear, as Cody Wahl scored 30 seconds into the final frame to provide the insurance and Mason Robertson was infalliable except for a goal with 57 seconds left as they punched their ticket to the finals vs. the Toronto Beaches with a 3-2 victory.
U7s Show mettle in Friendly match vs. Six Nations
The mighty little U7 squad continued their quest at the J.R. Robinson friendly tournament in Mimico with a game against Six Nations. The squad from Six Nations came out flying with speed and stick skills. Goaltender Owen Wilson stood tall and kept his team in the game. While the Rockhounds had their chances they weren't able to solve the Six Nations defense. The U7s will close out their tournament with a game against Peterborough this afternoon.
U13s Lose tough test to West Durham
Taking on the undefeated West Durham squad in their semi final game, the U13s knew they would be in for a tough battle and that was prevalent right for the start as the West Durham squad scored just under 30 seconds into the game. The Rockhounds bent but didn't break though as they scored the next two goals to take a 2-1 lead into the third period. West Durham showed why they remained undefeated in the tournament though as they tied the game early in the third period. From there, time and space on the floor were difficult to come by and both goalies stood their ground to send the semi final into sudden death overtime. While the Rockhounds had their chances, West Durham barely managed to beat Wyatt Williams in the extra frame to secure the victory and end the Rockhounds tournament hopes.
U15s Fall to Kodiaks
The U15s quest to climb back up the bracket fell just short Sunday morning as they took on the Kitchener Kodiaks. The first period was a dead heat between the two squads, but coming out of the break in the 2nd, the Rockhounds looked poised and ready to play as jumped out to the lead just under 2 minutes into the frame. While Kitchener managed to tie the game on a powerplay a short time later, the Rockhounds offense kicked into high gear scoring the next 3, including shorthanded marker to close out the period and taking a 4-1 lead into the final break. The Kodiak's were ready to mount their comeback though as they chipped away at the Rockhound lead with 2 more powerplay markers. It looked like Sudbury would weather the storm, but the Kodiaks scored the tying goal with 2 minutes remaining to put the Hounds on their heels and scored the heartbreaking go ahead 30 seconds later to take the improbale 5-4 win ending the Rockhounds tournament.
U22s Soar into Semis with shutout vs. Stars
One goal would have been all it took, but the U22 Rockhounds scored 10 as Evan Luscoumb recorded a shutout in his first start with the U22 squad to secure a spot in the semis against the Guelph Regals. Kai D'Amour provided the game winner just over five minutes into the first and 6 other Rockhounds factored in on the scoring (Ashton Eadie (2), Alex Hachez (2), Daniel Czerwinski, Jacob Barney (2), Jack Gouchie & Ben Harris) as the U22s finished 3-0 in round robin play for top spot in their group.
U13s reach semis with convincing win vs. Six Nations
After a setback to the hosts, the U13 squad looked to get things back on track vs. Six Nations with a spot in the semi finals on the line. The Rockhounds got off to a hot start with Oliver Brunetti scoring just over a minute into the contest and Jarrett Marshall scoring in between two goals from Jonah Ashcroft before Six Nations would add a tally of their own. That would be as close as they would get the score though, as Ashcroft completed the hat trick early in the second and Logan Peltier, Kaesen Adair, Noah Therrien, Bennett Bouchard scored while Marshall added his 2nd to send the Rockhounds into the semis with a 10-3 victory. They'll face an undefeated West Durham squad for a spot in the finals on Sunday.
U11s Continue to Make Strides vs. the Mavericks
In another tough contest, this time vs. the host Milton Mavericks, the U11 squad continued to make strides in the right direction. Initially overwhelmed by the Maverick attack in the first period, the Rockhounds righted the ship in the last two periods and held the host squad to 3 goals in each led by strong defensive efforts by Justin Gouin and Ben Hepting, while Daxton Wabano and Hector Medland provided the offense for the Rockhounds as they finished out their tournament with an 11-2 loss.
U15s Experience Deja vu against the Devils in blue
It was almost an identical game to their early afternoon tilt as the Rockhounds took on the London Blue Devils. Jackson mead started the scoring for the Rockhounds followed by a goal by Malik Jakubo in the second before the Blue Devils were able to slide one by Evan Couling. 2-1 would be as close as they got as the Rockhounds peppered the Blue Devil defense by committee with goals from Wyatt Pardal, Koda Peltier (2), Leo Gerhardt, Tucker Johnson, Jordan Biszak and Jackson Mead getting two more goals to complete the hat trick for another 10-2 victory. With the win the U15s will take on Kitchener in the morning as they continue their way back up the bracket.
U15s right ship vs. six nations
Coming off the opening game loss, the U15 squad knew that they would need a full team effort to keep their tournament hopes alive against six nations and that is exactly what they got. While Six Nations took control of the game early in the first, goalie Evan Couling kept the Rockhounds in the game before Jackson Mead started the offense to close the gap to 2-1 in after 1. The intermission speech worked as the Rockhounds came out flying in the 2nd with the next 9 goals in the game with tallies by Braeden Thibault, Koda Peltier (4), Malik Jakubo (2) and Jackson Mead scoring twice more to complete the hat trick as the Rockhounds cruised to a convincing 10-2 victory. They look to continue their climb back up the bracket at 7:30 this evening.
U7s In Friendly vs. Oakville
Buidling off their game in the morning vs. Milton, the U7s were back in action this afternoon as they took on Oakville in their second game of the day. The homesquad got off to a great start as Brandon Whitman scored their first goal of the tournament on a beautiful individual effort and Jude McEwen stood tall in goal for the Rockhounds as Oakville mounted their offense. Eventually the relentless pressure took its toll on the Sudbury defense as Oakville capitalised on their chances to eventually take the game.
U13s meet match in Milton
After a strong opening game, the U13 Rockhounds were in tough vs. the host Milton Mavericks as their tournament continued. The hosts came ready to play and put the pressure on from the opening draw. The Mavericks kicked off the scoring just over 3 minutes into the game and kept the pace up adding two more before the intermission. Defense became the name of the game after that as Milton's defense gave the Rockhound fits while capitalizing on their few chances to extend their lead to 5-0 after 2. The Rockhounds would finally get on the board in the third with a tally from Kaesen Adair, but it was too little to late as the Mavericks cruised to a 6-1 victory.
U22s knock off Northmen
The U22s were back in action vs. the Orangeville Northmen and it was a goaltending duel from the start. Mason Robertson stood his ground and kept the Northmen of the scoresheet in the first going save for save with his Orangville counterpart. The 2nd period started off much the same way before Jacob Hickerson finally broke through for the Rockhounds. That opened the floodgates for the Rockhounds who potted 2 more goals in the frame with tallies from Jack Gouchie and another by Hickerson to take a 3-0 lead into the final frame. Things tightened back up with Orangeville scoring the first goal of the frame on a powerplay, before Alex Hachez scored an insurance marker. The Northmen would continue to push scoring a powerplay goal with 2 minutes left, but that would be as close as they got as the Rockhounds held on for the 4-2 victory.
U11s Make Strides vs. Hamilton
Coming off the game yesterday, the U11 Rockhounds were looking to improve the team game as they faced another tough test in the Hamilton Bengals. The Bengals came out flying scoring 4 goals within the first five minutes of the game to put the Rockhounds back on their heels. Sudbury managed to slow the offense down by remembering to do the little things right and held the Bengals to only 3 more goals in the period. Showing mental toughness coming out of the intermission, the Rockhounds scored the first goal of the second frame on a tally from Daxton Wabano and the defence led by the checking of Jimmy Simpson and Luna Bertrand-Thrush held Hamilton to only one goal in the period. Hector Medland and Bo Michelutti would tally for the Rockhounds in the third as the U11s improved on their performance from yesterday falling to the Bengals 12-3. The U11s will finish out their tournament tonight vs. host Milton.
U22s Calm the Fury
Seeing their first tournament action of the year, the U22s started their quest for a provincial threepeat against the Kawartha Lakes Fury in the Hogtown Intermediate Lacrosse Tournament. The Fury won last year's tournament and looked for a repeat of their own jumping out to an early 2-0 lead. The hounds showed their own championship pedigree though weathering the early storm before Jack Gouchie cut the lead to 1 with 30 seconds left in the frame. Kai D'amour equalized the game a minute into the second frame, scoring the first of 5 Sudbury goals in the period, including markers from Ashton Eadie, Kayden Goble and 2 from Gouchie to finish off the hat trick. The Rockhounds would add 2 more in the third from Jacob Hickerson and Alex Hachez before the Fury would finally solve Mason Robertson with a minute left to bookend the scoring to make the final 8-3. The Rockhounds will look to keep things rolling as they take on the always tough Orangeville Northmen at 11am tomorrow.
U15s Beat By Bengals
An early tournament bye did the Rockhounds no favours as they took on Hamilton who was playing in their second game of the day after beating Kitchener 5-3 for the right to play Sudbury. The teams looked evenly matched trading goals in the first period as Jackson Mead scored for the Rockhounds a minute after the Bengals took the 1-0 lead. It would be a much different story in the 2nd though as the Bengals scored 4 straight goals including 2 powerplay markers capitalising on a Sudbury checking from behind penalty. Hamilton would score 2 more before Mead would tally again as the Bengals went on to a 7-2 win. The Rockhounds will now take on Six Nations tomorrow as they look to keep their championship aspirations alive.
U13s Edge Hawks
Looking to build off their 2nd place finish, the U13s came out flying in their opener of the Jim Leworthy Tournament against Huntsville with Oliver Brunetti scoring just under a minute into the contest. Not letting it ruffle their feathers, the Hawks answered back just under two minutes later to tie the game. It looked like it would stay that way into the intermission, but Kaesen Adair had other plans as he scored with 40 seconds left to give the Rockhounds a lead they would reliquish. Bennett Bouchard scored with 4 minutes left in the game to put Sudbury up 3-1 and Wyatt Williams was only fooled by a powerplay tally with 2 minutes left before shutting the door to preserve the 3-2 victory.
U11s Bested by Blaze
After beating one of Burlington's teams in the Conrad Rollings Memorial Tournament, the U11s took on another version to kick off the Jim Leworthy Lacrosse Tournament in Milton. The U11s knew they'd be in for tougher competition, but were unprepared for just how quickly the Blaze would come out of the gate. Burlington scored just under a minute into the game on route to scoring 8 in the period. The Rockhounds looked to regroup in the intermission and get back to their style of play. In the 2nd, the Rockhounds managed to slow the Blaze's offense, but they managed to add 4 more before the Rockhounds finally got on the board with a short handed tally from Hector Medland on a beautiful feed from Bo Michelutti. Jack Wilson remained under siege but remained undeterred in his efforts but the Rockhounds fell 19-1 in their opener. They look to rebound tomorrow vs. Hamilton.
U15s meet their match in host redbirds
A battle of undefeated teams headlined the U15 division's final tilt at the Conrad Rollings Memorial tournament. With both teams having knocked off Orangeville and Barrie en route to the finals, it had the makings of an epic tilt and certainly started that way. Newmarket jumped out to an early 2-0 before Jackson Mead cut the deficit in half with 5 minutes to play in the frame. The Rebirds would restore the 2 goal cushion with just over a minute left, but Mead set up the Rockhounds well for the second frame scoring his 2nd just before the buzzer. Not to be denied on their home floor, the host Redbirds came racing out of the gates in the 2nd scoring 4 straight goals over a 6 minute span to widen the lead to 5, before Malik Jakubo responded for the Hounds to close out the period. Sudbury tried to chip away at the lead in the 3rd with Jackson Mead completing the hat trick, but that would be as close as they got as the Redbirds potted two more insurance markers in a 30 second span to take the final 9-4 claiming the gold. The U15s will look to build on their silver medal performance in their next tournament in Milton in two weeks time.
U13s settle for Silver
A Heavyweight tilt of undefeated teams rounded out the U13 division play at the Conrad Rollings Memorial Tournament. Both teams went 4-0 with similar paths, each having edged out Kitchener and Mimico on route to the finals. The match-up was everything one would expect it to be. It was back and forth with neither team finding the score sheet in the first period and each team managing to kill off two penalties. Orangeville finally managed to breakthrough in the second solving Wyatt Williams just over a minute into the second frame, but time and space remained hotly contested slowing down the offence that had been a hallmark of both teams in the tournament. It looked like it would remain a one goal difference headed into the 3rd before the Northmen managed to squeak one in with a minute left to give them a 2 goal cushion with 15 to play. The Rockhounds would put the pressure on the Northmen defence in the third, including two powerplay opportunities, but on this day they could not solve goalie Pierce Gordanier. Orangeville would tack on one more insurance marker to claim the gold 3-0. The silver for Sudbury is a great start to the season as the club to build toward their next tournament in Milton in two weeks time.
U15s Bomb Bombers to reach finals
A day layoff didn't have any adverse effects on the U15 squad as they came at the Barrie Bombers early and often in the first period as they marched their way to the finals. Koda Peltier scored just over a minute in to open the floodgates which included a hat trick by Malik Jakubo and goals by Jackson Mead and Braeden Thibault to give the Rockhounds a 6-0 lead after the first frame. The Bombers clamped down on defence in the second but Koda Peltier still found the back on the net and completed his hat trick in the third period before Barrie was finally able to solve Evan Couling. It was too little too late for the Bombers though as Peltier would add his fourth to give the Rockhounds a 9-2 victory and book their place in the finals at 2:30 where they will face the winner of Orangeville and Newmarket.
U13s into finals after toppling mountaineers
The U13 Rockhounds continued their strong play Sunday morning and got an added boost as Kaesen Adair returned to the lineup making an immediate impact on defence assisting on Gareth Mead's first goal on a Rockhound's powerplay just over 30 seconds into the second period. This sparked the offence as Gareth Mead would add another and Logan Peltier would score to jump Sudbury out to a 3-0 lead. Undeterred, Mimico mounted a comeback late in the third with a powerplay markers of their own at the 6 and 4 minute marks on back to back high sticking calls. While the Mountaineers pushed hard for the equalizer, the Rockhounds defense stood tall and Wyatt Williams shut the door to preserve a 3-2 and book the Rockhounds place in the final at 1pm vs. Orangeville.
U13s best Bengals
A short turn around was no problem for the U13s as they took on Hamilton to wrap up group play. Matheos Carriere scored the only goal in the opening frame to give the Rockhounds the 1-0 lead before Hamilton responded with 5 minutes left in the 2nd to tie the game. That would be as closed as the Bengals would get though as Oliber Brunetti scored the game winner, Dallyn Lalonde scored two goals and Gareth Mead, Cedric Poulin and Noah Therrien all scored for the Rockhounds as the finished atop their group with an 8-1 victory. The U13s will now face Mimico at 9:15am with a spot in the finals on the line.
U13s beat host Newmarket
After a long layover from their first game, the U13s were back in action versus the host Redbirds in their second game. Clark Montgomery opened the scoring for the Rockhounds for the only tally in the first period before Gareth Mead scored a powerplay marker in the 2nd put them up 2-0. The Redbirds were finally able to solve Wyatt Williams mid way through the second to cut the lead in half before Noah Therrien scored what would be the eventual game winner to close out the frame. Newmarket closed the gap to 1 early in the 3rd, but insurance goals from Oliver Brunetti and Noah Therrien propelled the Rockhounds to a 5-2 win.
U11s Show Determination vs. Bombers
Playing their 2nd game within as many hours the U11 Rockhounds were taking on Barrie who were playing their 2nd game in the tournament. The fresh legs gave Barrie the edge in the first period as they jumped out to a 4-0 lead before Hector Medland responded for the Rockhounds. Barrie would score one more before the end of the frame to lead 5-1 after 1. The Rockhounds regrouped and refocused on their game and flipped the script midway through the 2nd rattling off 4 straight goals (Hector Medland (2), Bo Michelutti & Daxton Wabano) to cut the Barrie lead down to 4. Physicality took over in the 3rd and while some calls were missed, the Rockhounds stuck to their game plan and took the Bombers off theirs. Unfortunately the Rockhounds were unable to climb all the way back and fell 10-7. The Rockhounds now await the results of other U11 games on the day to determine if they move onto the semi final Sunday.
U11s cool the Blaze
It was an early morning tilt for the U11 squad as they took on the Burlington Blaze in their second game of the tournament and they came ready to play taking the early lead with 4 goals in the first three minutes by Bo Michelutti, Nwabdasse Trudeau and Hector Medland (2) before the Blaze would answer with one of their own. Sudbury would score two more just before the end of the period to extend their lead to 6-1. Burlington made the most of the long change in the 2nd frame scoring 3 to the Rockhounds 1 (Daxton Wabano) to make the game 7-4 headed into the final frame. The Rockhounds would regroup in the third and Jack Wilson and the Rockhounds defence would shut the door the rest of the way while scoring 2 more goals, including a buzzer beater by Justin Gouin to move to 2 and 0 with a 9-4 victory.
U15s keep rolling vs. Knights
The U15s ceded the first goal to Nepean, but that was all it took to wake up the Sudbury offense who exploded for 4 straight goals from Malik Jakubo (2), Koda Peltier & Jackson Mead. Nepean responded midway through the 2nd to cut the lead in half, but that's when special teams led by Malik Jakubo took over. Two shorthanded and one powerplay goal would prove to be all it took to solidify the Hounds second win on the day. Nepean would score two more goals, but Tucker Johnson potted his first of the tournament to tip the final to 8-4 Rockhounds. The win guarantees the U15 squad first in their group and a bye into Sunday's semi final at 10:30 at the lower seed to emerge out of group A after tomorrow's games.
U11s open up with a big win against Kawartha Lakes
The U11s kicked off the Conrad Rollings Memorial Tournament in strong fashion in their opener vs. Kawartha Lakes. Hector Medland kicked off the scoring 2 minutes into the first before potting another 7 minutes later that would prove to be the eventual game winner to put the Rockhounds up 2-0. After taking the first penalty of the game, Bo Michelutti pressed hard against the ball carrier to knock the ball loose and went on a breakaway to put the Hounds up 3-0 on a short handed tally to close out the first. The Rockhounds were the model of consistency from there, as they scored 3 more goals in the second with two powerplay markers from Daxton Wabano and a hattrick tally from Medland. Jack Wilson was only fooled once a minute into the third before the Jimmy Simpson netted his first and Hector Medland and Daxton Wabano another tally each to lead the Rockhounds to a 9-1 victory. The U11s are back at it tomorrow morning vs. Burlington at 8 a.m.
U13s Quell Kodiaks
The U13s kicked off the Conrad Rollings Memorial Tournament in a nailbiter vs. Kitchener. The Kodiaks took the lead with the opening goal midway through the first, but the Rockhounds would regroup during the intermission and start some offensive pressure of their own in the middle frame. Clark Montgomery pulled the Hounds even at the midpoint of the 2nd before Bennett Bouchard scored the go ahead goal 3 minutes after that. Showing the true meaning of playing to the whistle, Gareth Mead would score just before the horn to end the 2nd to give Sudbury the 3-1 lead. Penalty trouble in the third opened the door for the Kodiaks to claw their way back into the game with a poweplay goal with 2 minutes left, but Wyatt Williams shut the door to close out the game to seal the victory.
U15s knock off Ever tough Northmen
The U13 Rockhounds faced the perennial powerhouse Orangeville Northmen to kick off their Conrad Rollings Memorial Tournament and they were more than up to the task. A back and forth battle to start, the game, Jackson Mead broke the deadlock with just over a minute left in the first to put the Rockhounds up 1-0 after 1. A late penalty looked to open the door for the Northmen, but Malik Jakubo potted 2 short-handed goals to extend the lead to 3-0 before Koda Peltier scored a natural hattrick to put the hounds up 6-0. Not to be outdone, Malik added his 3rd of the frame to give the Rockhounds a commanding 7-0 lead heading into the 3rd. Down but never out, the Northmen scored 3 straight goals in the third to close the gap, but Evan Couling's goaltending combined and another Jakubo insurance marker sealed the 9-4 victory for the Rockhounds.
U11s edged out by lincoln to fall just shy of knockout stage
Two teams with identical records both entered with the same goal: win and move on. Both teams knew they'd be in for a hard fought contest and it certainly was that. Not only were the records identical, but so was the pace of play. It wasn't until some minor penalties resulted in 4 on 4 lacrosse that Lincoln found the open floor to manufacture a goal and take the lead. The Rockhounds would go on to take a major penalty just before the end of the 1st setting them on the defensive to start the second. The Rockhounds penalty kill would be further strained with another minor to go down 5 on 3, but the defenders and goalie Wyatt Williams stood tall. The effort did tax the Rockhounds though as before they could settle back into their game plan the Redcoats managed to score a goal and widen their lead to 2. Not to be deterred, the Rockhounds pushed back and their pressure resulted in a powperplay opportunity that Cedric Poulin would strike on to cut the lead in half. Entering the final frame Sudbury knew the next goal was crucial and their pressure paid off as Jarrett Marshall tied the game with 12 minutes to play. The fans were on the edge of their seats the rest of the way, but it was the Redcoats who would capitalize on a crosschecking penalty to score the decisive goal and punch their ticket to the next round. As they had all year, the Rockhounds fought to the last whistle and go home knowing they gave it their all.
U11s Drop Decision to ThunderHawks
Looking to build off their opening victory, the Rockhounds jumped on the board early vs. Niagara with Kasen Adair scoring just 30 seconds into the game. The Thunderhawks would not be rocked though as they endured Sudbury's opening push and tied the game 3 minutes later. Adair would counter for the Rockhounds less than a minute later to restore the lead, but Niagara would score the next two and enter the intermission with a 3-2 lead. The teams traded chances to start the second, but only the Thunderhawks would find the back of the net scoring three times to take a commanding 6-2 lead into the 3rd. Niagara would score one more, which would prove to be the game winner before the Rockhounds pushed back with goals from Adair to complete the hattrick, two from Jarrett Marshall and one from Clark Montgomery to make things interesting. In the end, the Thunderhawks would hang on for a 9-6 victory. With the loss, the Rockhounds dropped to 3rd in the group setting up a decisive tilt in the morning vs. Lincoln to determine which of the two team moves on to the knockout stage alongside Niagara.
U11s OPen with Win over West Grey
The last Sudbury squad to start their provincials got off to a great start as they opened their round robin play vs. West Grey. Oliver Brunetti & Karson Ferguson notched 2 goals for the Rockhounds in the opening frame, including a tally with 22 seconds left to play to take the early lead. This momentum continued in the second where Laughlin Hagen scored to extend the lead to 3-0 while Wyatt Williams stood on his head and the defense continued to stymie the Rampage attack. Not giving up, the Rampage finally broke through early in the third, but it wasn't enough to put the Rockhounds on their heels as they would answer back with 2 of their own from Kasen Adair. The Rampage would go on to score another goal before Clark Montgomery scored with 28 seconds remaining in the game to give the Rockhounds a 6-2 victory and an early group lead. The team will take on the Niagara Thunderhawks this evening.
U22s Win GOlD
The round robin game was close and the championship would be no different. The Rockhounds opened the game with a bench miscue for too many men and on the resulting penalty kill Joe Gouchie took an additional slashing penalty to put them down two men. There was no damage to be seen though as Akwesasne took an interference penalty just as the initial Rockhound penalty expired for some 4 on 4 lacrosse. As play continued and the Rockhounds were slated to take to a shortened powerplay, the Storm found a way to score and take a 1-0 lead. Not deterred by his earlier penalty, Gouchie responded for the Rockhounds with a minute left in the frame to knot the game at one headed into the intermission. Speed would play a factor early in the second as Ashton Eadie-Chartrand would wheel his way into the offensive zone and take advantage of a Storm goalie miscue to give Sudbury the lead. Penalties would be the story from there as the teams traded minors which would disrupt either team's momentum. Akwesasne would find a way to breakthrough next as they scored with 1:58 left to tie the game at 2. Not wanting to leave the game as last second as the first meeting, the Rockhounds pressed hard to start the third and in a minute and 3 second span Jacob Barney and Jack Gouchie scored for the Rockhounds to give Sudbury a 2 goal lead that they wouldn't relent. Mason Robertson lockdown the net and the Rockhounds weathered the Storm to take gold with a 4-2 victory.
U22s Edge Brampton in Nail Biter
The road to the finals saw Brampton standing in the Rockhounds way. The game was expected to be close, but that was truly an understatement. With Kiaus Lalonde tending the twine and the defense in sync, the Rockhounds made it difficult for Brampton to get any sustained pressure. The Excelsiors put up just as much of an effort and the two teams were scoreless through the first period. The second started out much the same way and it wasn't until Brampton was able to captialize on a Daniel Czerwinski penalty with five minutes left in the frame that the deadlock was broken. Trailing by one in the third, Lalonde fed the transition breakout pass to Kai D'Amour who potted the equalizer with 8 minutes left in the game. The Rockhounds' continued pressure ended up with Brampton getting into some penalty trouble. The Sudbury crew made full use of a 2 man advantage as Jacob Hickerson handcuffed the Brampton goalie for a goal that just trickled over the line. The Rockhounds would shut the door the rest of the way to claim their spot in the title game with a 2-1 victory. The Rockhounds will take on Akwesasne in a rematch after they knocked off Newmarket in the other semifinal.
U22s Call Their Shot vs. Akwesasne
Needing a tie to move on, the Rockhounds could have played a safe game vs. the Storm to send themselves into the knock out stage, but the U22s decided to punch their ticket in style. An even contest through the opening frame a late powerplay gave Cody Wahl a chance to capitalize and send the Rockhounds into the break with a 1-0 lead. Alex Hachez would score 7 seconds into the 2nd to widen the lead before Akwesasne turned up the pressure. The Storm would score on a powerplay midway through the frame to close the game and score 3 straight to take a 4-2 lead midway through the 3rd. Not backing down, the Rockhounds started the comeback trail with Ben Harris scoring with 6 minutes remaining and Jacob Hickerson tying the game with just over two minutes to play. While most teams would be content riding out the game to get to the next round, the Rockhounds had other plans. Pulling their goalie with seconds left on the clock, Sudbury quickly relayed the ball up the floor and into the stick of Ashton Eadie-Chartrand who scored with one second left on the clock to give the Rockhounds the win and the group. With this momentous victory the Rockhounds will take on Brampton in the morning with a spot in the finals on the line.
U22s Make Statement vs. Orangeville
Xavier Esquimax-Osawamick started things off for the Rockhounds and Jacob Barney followed suit with a powerplay marker to give Sudbury an early 2-0 lead in their second round robin game. Orangeville finally solved Kiaus Lalonde on a powerplay midway through the period before Caden McDonald restored the 2 goal lead giving the Rockhounds a 3-1 edge heading into the intermission. The second period saw the teams exchange goals as Ben Harris potted a short handed goal while Sudbury was killing off a pair of majors incurred by Keegan Esquimax-Osawamick that would go on to become the eventual game winner. Kiaus Lalonde shut the door the rest of the way while Jacob Hickerson, Mason Lachance and Jacod Barney rounded out the scoring as the Rockhounds took the game 7-3. With the win the U22s control their own destiny as a win against Akwesasne would assure them top spot in the group.
U22s open with a stalemate vs. Hamilton
Early game jitters took effect for the Rockhounds as they fell behind Hamilton just 45 seconds into their opening contest. The team course corrected and settled down defensively before Hamilton would tack on another goal with 8 seconds left in the period to take a 2-0 lead into the intermission. Starting the period short handed did little to sway the Rockhounds as they came flying out of the gates in the second frame with Ben Harris scoring a short handed goal before Jack Gouchie and Ashton Eadie-Chartrand scored to give Sudbury the lead. Playing from behind for the first time, Hamilton responded quickly tying the game up after being down for just over a minute. Sudbury would regain the lead on a goal by Xavier Esquimax-Osawamick with 3 minutes to go in the period to send the Rockhounds into the final frame with a 4-3 lead. While the Rockhounds tried to weather Bengals push, Hamilton found a way to tie the game at the 11:44 mark setting up an exciting finish to the game. Alex Hachez would score with just under 9 minutes left to give the Rockhounds the lead and from there the Rockhounds played shutdown lacrosse led by the goaltending of Mason Robertson. It looked like the Rockhounds would hang on for the victory, but a late check from behind penalty to Jacob Barney gave Hamilton a power play opportunity to close out the game which they converted on with 53 seconds left to end the game in a 5-5 tie. The U22s are back at it in the morning vs. the ever tough Orangeville Northmen.
U13s Finish on a winning Note
Looking to take a page from the U15s, the U13 squad was playing North Perth in their final game and looked to end their season on a winning note while avenging their loss the day before. It would be North Perth who would hit the scoresheet first though with a goal just under 3 minutes into the game. This lit a fire under the Rockhounds though as they exploded in an offensive outburst the likes of which the team hadn't seen all year. Scoring 6 goals before the end of the fram to take a commanding 6-1 lead into the second. North Perth regrouped and refocussed chipping away at the Sudbury lead in the second making it as close as 6-5 before Sudbury would score the eventual winner with 25 seconds left to play in the frame. The two teams would score a goal each in the third, but the Rockhounds would hang on to close out their season with an 8-6 victory.
U15s Go out with Win Over North PErth
Eliminated from knockout stage contention, the Rockhounds looked to finish their season on strong note and they did just that. Taking on a North Perth team who was also searching for their first win of the festival, the Rockhounds came out flying with Malik Jakubo scoring under a minute into the contest. The Outlaws founds a way to solve goalie Damien Dell 4 minutes into the contest, but that is as close as they would get as Jakubo scored again and Levi Blouin added a tally to give the Rockhounds a 3-1 lead heading into the second period. In the 2nd frame, Jakubo scored two more, including the eventual game winner to complete the hattrick and would score again in the 3rd to give him a 5 goal game as the Rockhounds went out on a winning note in a 6-3 final.
U13s Under Siege vs. Midland
Looking to avenge their festival opening loss, Midland put in a titanic effort against Sudbury to put them in the driver's seat as group play continued. Scoring just 58 seconds into the contest was all the Titans needed as the Rockhounds were unable to solve the defensive puzzle and ran into significant penalty trouble allowing Midland to take an 11-0 victory. Eliminated from knockout stage contention, the U13s will look to finish on a high note taking on North Perth later on today.
U15s in back and forth tilt vs. Pelham
Shaking off the earlier loss the U15s took on Pelham in their second game of the round robin. Needing a victory to keep their knockout stage hopes alive, the Rockhounds didn't let an early Pelham goal deter them as Jackson Mead and Levi Blouin scored to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. Malik Jakubo scored 2 goals to widen the margin in the 2nd before Pelham answered back with 3 minutes left to give the Rockhounds a 4-2 lead heading into the 3rd. The Raiders scored early to cut the lead to 1 and tied the game up with 6 minutes to play to set up an exciting finish. Mead and Jakubo scored in quick succession to restore the Rockhounds 2 goal lead, but with under 2 minutes to play the Raiders pushed hard scoring 3 straight goals, including the game winner with 44 seconds left to play. The loss dropped the Rockhounds to 0-2 dashing their chances of advancing. They'll finish out their provincials tomorrow morning vs. North Perth.
U13s undone by 2nd period against North PErth
Following up on their victory in the morning, it looked like the U13s would carry over the momentum into their second game vs. North Perth. Once again Sudbury managed to grab the lead with a goal that came with 5 minutes left in the first. Not to be put on their heels the Outlaws answered back just over a minute later to tie the game headed into the intermission. That goal seemed to energize the opposition as they came out flying for 6 unaswered goals in the 2nd to take a 7-1 lead. The Rockhounds readjusted in the 3rd scoring a pair of powerplay goals and limiting the North Perth to one final tally to make the final 8-3. The Rockhounds will look to carry on their 3rd period play as they take on Midland and North Perth again tomorrow with a spot in the knockout stage on the line.
U15s cooled off by A Mimico Hot Start
1:15 into the game the Mountaineers got on the board and set the Rockhounds back on their heels. An early powerplay looked to right the ship, but Mimico found a way to score on the PK and added one more before Malik Jakubo finally answered for the Rockhounds to cut the deficit to 3-1. It looked like momentum was finally turning for the U13s, but a goal with 3 seconds left in the period put a damper on the comeback hopes. Mimico came out with 3 unanswered goals to start the 2nd before Jakubo scored his second on a powerplay. The Mountaineers would tack on one more to take the opening game 8-2.
U13s put the Pieces together vs. Midland
The U13s opened up provincial play after a string of tough losses. They learned from all the defeats though and put together their best effort of the season against the Midland Titans. Both teams opened with tight checking and strong goaltending but with just over 5 minutes to play the Titans took a high sticking major that sent the Rockhounds to the powerplay. It looked like the Titans would kill off the major but with 46 seconds left in the period and 33 seconds left in the Powerplay the Rockhounds notched the first goal. Special teams would follow up in the second period with another powerplay goal halfway through the frame. The Titans answered with just over 3 minutes left to play in the period, but that was as close as they would get as the Rockhounds held on to win their opener in a 2-1 nail biter.
U22s Have tight game vs. Six Nations
A tough draw for the knockout stage, the Rockhounds were looking to secure a spot in the finals by playing the ever tough Six Nations. Both teams were playing inspired defense, so while it was pouring outside the arena, there were no leaks in net as the teams battled through a scoreless first period. Things looked much the same in the second as the teams traded powerplay chances, but the goalies stood tall. It wasn't until the final minute when Six Nations found a way to squeak one through Kiaus Lalonde for the first goal of the game. The Rockhounds finally broke through with 12 minutes left in the game on a rush play by Joe Gouchie who scooped up an errant pass and went bursting up the floor, out muscling the lone defender to score short side. Forutne turned against the Rockhounds though as with 5 minutes left to play, after Sudbury thought they had taken the lead, the goal was called back on a crease violation and Six Nations took the ball and scored on a transition play to take the 2-1 lead. Six nations would go on to pot another with 3:20 left to seal a 3-1 victory.
U22s Take Must Win Game vs. Clarington
Coming off their morning win, the Rockhounds were looking to secure a spot in the knockout stage by taking on Clarington. Mason Robertson was standing tall in the first period stopping every shot he faced including a penalty shot, but unfortunately he tweaked his leg and exited the contest with a lower body injury. Kiaus Lalonde came into the game and didn't miss a beat for the tandem as the Rockhounds continued to baffle the Clarington offense. Clarington seemed to have every answer for Sudbury too, until Jacob Hickerson finally broke through for the Rockhounds with 3:40 to play in the second. Joe and Jack Gouchie each scored for the Rockhounds before Clarington finally got on the board with 4 minutes left to play, but it was too little too late as the Rockhounds punched their ticket with a 3-1 win.
U22s Bounce Back vs. Fort Erie
Fort Erie opened the scoring midway through the first, but that was all that was needed to wake up the Rockhounds offense. With a solo effort on a penalty kill Blake Ramalho powered through the Fort Erie defense and scored the equalizer. The Rockhounds would then take the lead off a pick and roll play that that allowed Ashton Eadie-Chartrand a lane to the net with 2 minutes left in the frame. For good measure Jacob Barney scored with 20 seconds left in the period as the Rockhounds took a 3-1 lead to the intermission. Jack Gouchie, Ben Harris and Jacob Barney would score in quick succession in the 2nd before Jacob Barney would complete the hattrick with 30 seconds left in the period to give the Rockhoudns a commanding 7-1 lead. Kiaus Lalonde shut the door while Jacob Hickerson, Jack Gouchie scored and Jacob Barney added his fourth of the game to seal a 10-1 victory. The Rockhounds will play again at 3pm looking to improve their chances to move on.
U22s OPen Conradi-Engemann vs. Guelph
Opening up the Conradi-Engemann tournament late friday night against Guelph. The U22s looked to carry over their strong performance from Gloucester and the game was physical from the get go. Guelph managed to breakthrough on a goal that just trickled over the line partway through the 1st. Guelph then extended their lead with a powerplay goal with just over 3 minutes to go after Keegan Esquimaux-Osawamick headed to the box for slashing. The strong defense for both teams picked up again to start the 2nd before Guelph tacked on a 3rd goal 6 minutes into the frame and added another with with 2 minutes left to take a 4-0 lead into the final frame. The Rockhounds would breakthrough on transition 3 minutes into the 3rd on a goal by Daniel Czerwinski assisted by Xavier Esquimax-Osawamick and Jacob Hickerson. Unfortunately that was as close as they would get as the Rockhounds dropped their opener 4-1. They're back at it tomorrow morning at 10am against Fort Erie.
U22s Final a Rematch
Looking to avenge their round robin loss the U22s took on host Gloucester in the championship final. The Rockhounds took the early lead thanks to a marker from Ben Harris, but the second period saw Gloucester find the cracks in the Rockhounds armor as they potted 4 straight goals to take over the lead. Jack Gouchie answered for the Rockhounds as they tried to fight back into the game, but the Griffins managed to score another to seal a 5-2 victory. The U22s finished with a well earned silver.
U22s into the final
When you have a formula that works, you stick with it. The Rockhounds put Kiaus Lalonde between the pipes against the Storm in their rematch hoping that he could continue to baffle the Storm offense and for the first period that's exactly what happened. Goals by Cody Wahl and Xavier Esquimax-Osawamick staked the Rockhounds out to a 2-0 lead and Jacob Barney scored another early in the 2nd, before the Storm finally found a way to breakthrough by scoring 2 of their own in just over 1:30 of play. The momentum wouldn't be sustained however as Kai D'Amour scored to close out the period and restore Sudbury's 2 goal lead. While the Storm tried to battle back in the 3rd, Alex Hachez and Keegan Esquimaux-Osawamick had other ideas scoring to provide the insurance the Rockhounds needed as they only allowed one more Storm goal on route to booking their spot in the championship game with a 6-3 victory. They'll take on the Gloucester Griffins for gold at 3:30.
U11s In another close one vs. Akwesasne
The Storm were geared up to play the Rockhounds and avenge their round robin loss. The two teams picked up right where they left off in a tightly contested contest that saw no goals scored during the first period. Akwesasne took a penalty with just over a minute to go in the 1st, but rather than come out on their heels, the Storm went on the offensive scoring a shorthanded tally just under a minute into the 2nd to take the lead. Oliver Brunetti answered back for the Rockhounds just two minutes later to even the score. That goal refocused the Storm as they potted the next 3 to take a 4-1 lead. Not ones to give up the Rockhounds battled hard causing the Storm to take 6 penalties in the final frame as they tried to contain their opposition. Kaesen Adair scored a powerplay goal halfway through the frame to cut the lead in half, but the Rockhounds were stymied by the Storm's goaltender until Adair potted another with 13 seconds left in the game. Unfortunately it was too little too late as the Rockhounds dropped a heartbreaker 4-3 ending their tournament just shy of the finals.
U11s Get #2 Seed
Facing a host Griffins team who had run into some trouble with Barrie and Uxbridge in their previous two games, the U11s were looking to lock up first place in the group and book a spot in tomorrow's early semi final. The Rockhounds scored just 20 seconds into the game and never looked back as they cruised to a 20-1 final. Unfortunately they lost on the tie break to the Barrie Bombers which set up a rematch against Akwesasne in the semis.
U22s In Battle of Undefeated Teams
The U22s staked their perfect record against that of the host Griffins in their final round robin game. The game was close through the first with the Griffins taking the early lead and tacking on 4 more before Alex Hachez responded with one for the Rockhounds. While Sudbury would manage to score another one, the Griffins were too much in this game handing the Rockhounds a 9-2 loss and sealing 1st place in the round robin. With a 2nd place finish, the Rockhounds will look to win their way to the finals tomorrow taking on either Akwesasne or West Grey in the semis.
U15s Have no answer for Nepean
Trying to get in the win column the U15s were taking on a Nepean team that had just dropped a heartbreaker to Mimico in their previous game. Instead of reeling from their loss though, the Knights came out firing and while the Rockhounds weathered an early fury, once the Knights broke through at the 9 minute mark, they just kept coming. Sudbury couldn't break through their defenses and ended up on the wrong side of an 11-0 loss.
U13s start strong Against Griffins
Coming off two losses to open the tournament, the U13s looked to rebound against the tournament host Griffins. In a tightly contested contest for the first half of the opening frame, the Rockhounds broke through at the 8:31 minute mark to take the lead and potted another one just over a minute later to make it 2-0. The Griffins remained steadfast though and chipped away to tie the game at 2 heading into the second. In the intermission the Griffins found another gear as they came out flying to score the eventual game winner just over a minute into the frame, the first of 5 they would score to stake themselves out to a big lead. The Rockhounds reeled in the Griffins offense slightly in the third, but two short handed goals allowed the Griffins to claim an 11-2 victory.
U15s Ambushed by Griffins
Scoring just over a minute into the game the Griffins got off to a hot start, but the Koda Peltier answered for the Rockhounds just 40 seconds later to tie the game at 1. While it looked like the game would go back and forth, the Griffins seemed to find the answer for Sudbury's attack scoring 4 straight goals to finish up the frame taking a 5-1 lead. Malik Jakubo and Jackson Mead scored for the Rockhounds in the 2nd as they tightened up the defense and closed the Griffins lead to 2, but the Griffins attack proved too much in the 3rd as they scored 4 goals to Sudbury's 1 (scored by Jackson Mead) on route to a 10-4 victory.
U22s Survive the Storm Surge
The duo of Jacob Barney and Ben Harris connected on the first two goals of the game for the Rockhounds as they erased the deficit caused by a shorthanded tally by the Storm before the midway point. Special teams then took over as Ashton Eadie-Chartrand scored a poweplay marker and then Joe Gouchie scored a short handed tally with just over a minute left to seal the game 4-1 for the Rockhounds in a game where Kiaus Lalonde's goaltending stopped the Storm in their tracks.
U13s battle the Storm
From the opening whistle the Rockhounds played tough defense against the strong Akwesasne team, limiting them to 2 goals in the opening frame. Just like their namesake though, the storm were unrelenting and poured on 3 more in the second including a shorthanded tally to take a commanding lead. Sudbury managed to break the shutout bid with 10 to go in the final frame before tempers flared resulting in offsetting major penalties, but the Storm proved to be too much on this day taking the game 9-1.
U11s Survive the Storm
A hot start by the Rockhounds was what they needed to put the Akwesasne Storm on their heels. Oliver Brunetti scoring just under two minutes into the first the Rockhounds had the Storm playing catch up all game. While the Storm tied it up 2 minutes later the Rockhounds regained the lead on a powerplay goal by Karson Ferguson with 5 minutes to go in the first and Arlo Angus scored the eventual game winner to start the second period. The Storm made it interesting by closing the gap to 3-2 midway through the frame, but they couldn't beat the wall that was Wyatt Williams to score the equalizer. The Rockhounds added the insurance marker with Arlo Angus scoring with 45 seconds left in the game to seal the 4-2 victory and move to 2-0 on the tournament.
U11s make a statement in the opener
It took just over 7 minutes of play before Clark Montgomery found the back of the net ona shorthanded tally to open the floodgates for the Rockhounds in the opening game of their tournament. Montgomery would go on to complete the hattrick while Kaesen Adair, Cedric Poulin, Karson Ferguson and Arlo Angus all had 2 goal nights. It looked like a shutout for Wyatt Williams, but the never quit attitude of Kahnawake was on display as they managed to break up the bid with 6:58 left. Daxton Wabano and Keenan Joyce rounded out the scoring for an emphatic 15-1 win. The Rockhounds will look to continue their winning ways tomorrow vs. the Awkesasne storm.
U15s In tough vs. Whitby
The Rockhounds were in for a challenge in their opening game taking on the always powerful Whitby Warriors in their tournament opener. The pressure was on early as Whitby jumped out to a commanding 4-0 lead before Jackson Mead responded for the Rockhounds near the midway point of the 2nd. He would go on to add another and Malik Jakubo would join in on the scoring to cut the deficit to 6-3, but Whitby would score with 10 seconds remaining in the second frame and explode for 6 more in the third on route to a 13-4 victory. Koda Peltier tallied the 4th marker for the Rockhounds who play their next game tomorrow vs. the host Griffins.
U22s open with rematch vs. West Grey
Playing the team the Rockhounds opened the Stayner tournament against, both the Rockhounds and the Rampage knew they were in for a battle. Picking up on the nuances of each team from their first match, the teams were evenly matched trading goals during the first two periods ending up in a 3-3 tie after 2 on goals by Alex Hachez, Jack Gouchie and Max Vendette. Backed by the goaltending of Mason Robertson, the Rockhounds took control in the deciding frame with a goal by Blake Ramalho and 2 by Ben Harris, including the game winner as they managed to edge the Rampage 6-4 to take their tournament opener. The Rockhounds will look to keep the momentum going tomorrow vs. the Awkesasne storm.
U13s open up vs. Nepean
In what looked to be a defensive battle, the U13s opened up strong against Nepean in their first game. The hard checking defense and tight goaltending held the game scoreless through the first period of play. Motivated, the Rockhounds came out flying in second scoring the game's opening goal just 17 seconds into the period. Nepean managed to get the equalizer a few minutes later and then some penalty trouble allowed the Knights to capitalize scoring what would be the eventual game winner halfway through the frame. The Rockhounds tallied another goal in the third, but Nepean managed to hang on for a 7-2 victory. The Rockhounds look to rebound tomorrow vs. the host Griffins.
U11s have a rematch for the Ages
Suffering their only loss in the tournament to Orillia, a rematch seemed inevitable and it certainly lived up to expectations. The Kings had trouble containing the pressure that the Rockhounds put on and ran into penalty trouble early and often. The Rockhounds took the lead just after the expiry of the first powerplay on a goal by Kaesen Adair. The home side answered back with a powerplay tally to knot the game at 1 with two minutes to go in the period. Powerplay goals to start the second by Clark Montgomery & Cedric Poulin staked the Rockhounds out to a 3-1 lead but the resilient Kings chipped away and tied the game at 3 to set up an Exciting third period.
Hector Medland scored on the powerplay with 10:52 to go in the third and the Rockhounds tightened up their defense and goaltending to try and close out the game. Unfortunately the Kings managed to capitalize on a turnover to score a shorthanded tally with two minutes remaining in the 3rd to send the game to overtime.
In a finish that had the fans of both teams on the edge of their seats, the teams traded chances with big saves being made at both ends and Wyatt Williams providing a solid wall for the Rockhounds. Something had to give though and Orillia managed to squeak in the game winner with 5 minutes left in the frame to secure the gold.
It was a hard fought silver for the Rockhounds who displayed tremendous heart and determination. While the end result may not have been what they wanted, they left an indelible mark on the tournament that teams won't soon forget.
U13s finish strong vs. Owen Sound
After a tough weekend of games the U13 Rockhounds saved their best for last when they took on Owen Sound in the 7th vs. 8th place game to conclude the tournament. Scoring early in the first period to open things up, the Rockhounds goal was answered by Owen Sound 4 minutes later to knot the game at 1. Sudbury regained the lead with just under 4 minutes remaining in the first and it stayed that way until the third period. A defensive and goaltending gem took place and both offenses were shutdown. It looked like Sudbury would hang on, but Owen Sound found an answer with 12:50 left in the third period to tie the game at 2, which is how the game would finish.
U15s finish up vs. Hamilton
A Koda Peltier scored the opening two goals for the Rockhonds to answer the Hamilton offense who found the net twice themselves to knot the game up at two early in the 2nd period. Hamilton would score two more to double up the score before Malik Jakubo answered to cut the deficit to 4-3, but that is unfortunately as close at the Rockhounds would get. With the game winning goal scored with 2 minutes left in the period, Hamilton scored 5 of the next six goals to finish up with a 9-4 victory in the 5th vs. 6th game. The lone Rockhounds tally in the third came from Shkwaandem-Nini Osawamick.
U11s punch ticket
Bouncing back from their first loss, the U11 Rockhounds took on Six Nations. While Six Nations took an early lead, Sudbury answered back in a big way with 4 straight goals including the game winner midway through the second. Six Nations made things interesting by closing the gap to 4-3 at the end of the second, but Sudbury scored 3 straight goals in the third period to seal a 7-3 victory. Backed by the hat trick of Kaesen Adair, 2 goal performance by Oliver Brunetti and goals from Karson Ferguson and Jarrett Marshall, the Rockhounds punched their ticket to Sunday by virtue of holding the tiebreaker over Oakville setting up a rematch against Orillia.
U15s Fall to Orillia
Playing right after the U11s, the 2nd Orillia/Sudbury matchup of the day was a higher scoring affair. Unfortunately the Kings jumped out to a 2-0 lead on powerplay goals in the first and never looked back. After extending their lead to 5-0 in the second, the Rockhounds potted 3 of their own powerplay goals before the kings closed out the second with a shorthanded goal to lead 6-3. The teams exchanged goals in the 3rd, but Orillia kept ahead winning by a final score of 10-6.
U13s in tough vs. Uxbridge
The Rockhounds answered the Enforcers opening tally to tie the game at 1 midway through the first, but after 2 quick goals to end the first, Uxbridge built a 3-1 and played stymying defence against the Rockhounds to control the game. Unable to crack the scoresheet after their first tally, the Rockhounds fell 8-1.
U11s lose close one to hosts
It was a battle of undefeated teams as the U11 Rockhounds took on the host Orillia Kings in early action on day 2. Knotted at 2 after the first, the game became a goaltending duel for the remainder of the game. Orillia took the lead with 8 minutes left to play and goalie Wyatt Williams kept them in with his play including stopping a penalty shot with just over a minute left in the game. Unfortunately the Kings scored on the powerplay that followed to seal a 4-2 victory. The Rockhounds are back at it this afternoon vs. six nations as they look to secure a spot in the next round.
U11s sore above Hawks
Picking up right where they left off in their first game, the U11 Rockhounds scored 4 unanswered goals to start the game before the Oakville Hawks finally got on the board midway through the second. Kaesen Adair and Jarrett Marshall scored in the third to round out a balanced attack that also saw goals from Oliver Brunetti, Cedric Poulin and 2 from Arlo Angus to lead the Rockhounds to a 6-1 victory and moving them to 2-0 in group play. They are back at it tomorrow at 9:00 am vs. the host Orillia Kings.
U13s In tough vs. Hosts
The second game of the tournament didn't go as planned for the U13 squad. Playing against the host team, the game was even during the first period with Orillia only widening their lead to 2 with 20 seconds left in the frame. Orillia blew things open in the 2nd with 2 powerplay and two shorthanded tallies and never looked back on route to a 17-1 victory.
The bigger story came after the game when the U11 squad showed their support for the U13s as they were coming off the floor, showing the true support the Sudbury Rockhound community has for one another. The U13s look to rebound tomorrow morning vs. Uxbridge.
U15s Start Early In Orillia
Coming off their silver in Stayner the U15 team was back in action against Newmarket in their tournament opener. The Rockhounds jumped out to an early 3-0 in the first capitalizing on a highsticking major penalty by the Redbirds. The Rockhounds scored two more to kick off the second, including the game winner, before Newmarket answered with a tally of their own. The Rockhounds then scored 4 straight in response. The Redbirds scored 3 straight of their own to close the game, but it was too little too late as the Rockhounds held on to win 9-4. The Rockhounds attack was truly balanced in this game with 8 different goal scorers in Koda Peltier, Evany Ashcroft, Malik Jakubo, Liam Hagen, Shkwaandem-Nini Osawamick, Jackson Mead, Aidan O'coin and Levi Blouin all figuring on the scoresheet. The U15 squad is back at it at 7:30 vs. Brantford.
U11s Win Opener In Orillia
Building off their strong showing in Northumberland, the U11s opened play Orillia in their against Hunstville. After the long trek, they fell behind 2-0 before finding their legs and scoring 4 straight goals, including Daxton Wabano notching one in the final second to finish the first period. From there, they never looked back scoring 5 more in the second, including 2 from Clark Montgomery. The teams traded goals in the third with Kaesen Adair finishing off a hat trick and Sudbury finished with a 12-4 victory. The team takes on Oakville in their next game this evening at 5:30.
U13s Fall in Tournament Opener
The U13 team were in tough in their opening game against the Hamilton Bengals. The Bengals scored 5 goals in a strong first period and added two more in both the 2nd and 3rd to cruise to a 9-0 victory. The U13s will look to bounce back against Orillia this afternoon at 4:30.
The true spirit of the game on display in the U7 finale
With only 8 players in attendance and injuries mounting, the U7s put everything they had in their final game of the tournament. The Rockhounds had the help of the host Mimico Mountaineers who lent them 3 players (Special shout out to Theo, Felix and Wes!). The extra legs renewed the energy levels of the group who put up a strong showing against Lincoln. Backed by the excellent goaltending of Brandon Whitman and the stick checking of Shaeya Morrison, the group finished with their closest game yet falling 5-2. There were plenty of smiles to go around afterwards as the newest group of Rockhounds went home with great memories of their first tournament to last a lifetime!
U11 Hold Their Own against Northumberland
Going up against one of the top ranking teams in the province, the U11 squad proved their mettle. Taking on the host team the Rockhounds managed to keep the Nemisis' scoring at bay and held the game to a respectable 5-1 score. Kaesen Adair scored the lone tally for the Rockhounds who finished 2-2 in the tournament.
U22 Fall to Champion Clarington
The U22 team finished up their Stayner tournament with a 4-3 to the team that would go on to win the tournament in Clarington. The Rockhounds showed great perseverance after going down 3-0 to close the gap to 1 at the end of two periods on tallies by Jacob Hickerson and Alex Hachez, but unfortunately couldn't grab that tying goal. The Gaels went back up by 2 with 10 minutes left and Jacob recorded his second of the game with 2:44 to go, but that was as close as they could get as they closed out their tournament play.
U15 Win Silver In STayner
Undefeated in the tournament until the final, the U15 Rockhounds came up just shy in a 6-1 loss to West Grey. Levi Blouin potted the lone goal for the Rockhounds with a shorthanded tally in the third period to break the shutout.
U15 Into the Finals
The U15 team moved to 3-0 taking their semi final against Nepean 3-2 in overtime. Malik Jakubo had two including the game winner in overtime. Jackson Mead rounded out the scoring. They'll play West Grey in the finals today at 1:30.
U7 Take on Powerhouse From Milton
A new Sudbury Rockhounds record for youngest player to take a penalty shot was set by Grayson Antonio as the U7s fell to the mighty Milton Mavericks who have been blazing through the tournament field. First time goaltender Nolan Rancourt stood on his head bravely facing a barrage of shots to keep his team in the game. The U7s finish up their tournament play at 1:30 today vs. Lincoln.
U11 Come up just shy in back and forth Battle with Akwesasne
The teams traded goals in the first and second ending up deadlocked at 5 heading into the final frame. Unfortunately Akwesasne got the better of the team in the final frame scoring 3 goals to steal an 8-5 victory. Jarrett Marshall lead the way for the Rockhounds with 2 goals and Arlo Angus, Kennan Joyce and Kaesen Adair all added a goal. With the loss Sudbury and Akwesasne both move to 2-1-0 with a round robin game to play.
U13 In Tough against West Durham
The U13 team lost 6-0 to West Durham to fall to 1-2-0 in round robin play. The U13 group reset their focus and held West Durham off the board in the final frame to build some momentum as they head into their next game.
U7 Gives it Their All vs. Mimico
Taking on the host team, the mighty group some Sudbury gave every ounce of energy they had and then some against a big home squad. Though significantly outnumbered, the team kept pace and Grayson Antonio scored with 20 seconds left to break the shutout bid in an 8-1 loss.
U11 Win Big against The Beaches
Building off the strong start in the opener, the U11 Rockhounds kept it rolling with a 17-0 win against the Toronto Beaches. Clark Montgomery scored 3, while Karson Ferguson had 4 while Laughlin Hagen and Hector Medland both chipped in a pair to move the squad to 2-0 in the tournament.
U13 In Tough vs. Stayner
U13 dropped their 2nd game in the tournament to Stayner 10-1. Their lone goal coming midway through the game to cut the deficit to 4. The U13 team looks to rebound later on today.
U7 show big heart vs. Peterborough
Troy Michelutti and Grayson Antonio both had their first career multi goal performances as the U7s played hard against Peterborough in a 9-5 loss.
U11 take down uxbridge
Two goals from Kasen Adair and tallies from first year U11 players Arlo Angus and Hector Medland propelled Sudbury to a 6-1 victory in their opener vs. Uxbridge.
U13 Open with win vs. Six nations
A game winner with 7:50 left in regulation earned the U13s an opening victory in round robin play.
U22 Fall to Brampton
Alex Hachez had a 2 goal performance, but a late rally from Brampton resulted in a 4-3 win for Brampton. The U22s moved to 1-1 in round robin play.
U15 keep it rolling vs. Six nations
A hattrick for Malik Jakubo and a four goal performance from Owen Angus highlighted the scoring as the U15s moved to 2-0 in round robin play with a 9-3 win vs. Six Nations.
U15 win big 7-1 over stayner
Jackson Mead opened the scoring 13 seconds into the game and the Rockhounds didn't look back. 2 goal performances from Malik Jakubo and Owen Angus highlighted the scoring.
U22 open tournament with 4-1 win over west grey
Alex Hachez's 3 point night including an assist on Ben Harris' GWG propelled the U22 team to a win in their tournament opener.