Sandwiched between two League wins over Cambridge Hawks the HPL Major PeeWees traveled to Oshawa January 8th – 10th to play in the Spirit Cup Challenge where they were edged out in the semi-finals.
Before heading to Oshawa the HPL Major PeeWees had a re-scheduled game to play against Cambridge in Palmerston on the 6th of January. This would be a great warm-up game for the tournament in Oshawa being the first game the Major PeeWees had played since the Burlington tournament where they had a poor showing. The Lakers needed a good start, which they did getting on the scoreboard first as Zach Jacobs took a pass from call-up Chayse Herrfort of the HPL Minor PeeWee team. It was a back and forth battle with Cambridge scoring four minutes later. The Lakers answer that goal back 30 seconds later when Kenny Huether scored from Evan Chaffe and Blake Nichol. Cambridge added another in the 1st period to tie the game 2 – 2. After that it was all Lakers as Ted Nichol scored from Jamie Huber and Haydn Favacho and Brady Lauze scored from Ted Nichol in the 2nd period. Finishing off the 3rd period strong, Cullen Mercer scored unassisted and Evan Chaffe added an empty net goal from Kenny Huether and Brady Lauze. Final score, Lakers 5 Cambridge 2 with Ben Larder picking up the win in net for the Lakers.
Off to Oshawa to play Clarington Toros in the 1st game of the 4 game round robin tournament. The Lakers gave up two 1st period gaols before they found the energy that they played the Cambridge Hawks with 2 days earlier. Once the 2nd period started it was all Lakers to the end of the game with five different goal scorers; Cullen Mercer, Jamie Huber, Ted Nichol, Zach Jacobs and Kenny Huether with assists going to; (3) Mercer , Huber, T. Nichol, Jacobs, Huether and Eric MacPhee. Ben Larder picked up the win in net with Evan Chaffe named MVP of the game for the Lakers.
Game # 2 vs home town Oshawa Generals; once again it was a slow start for the Lakers as they gave up two early goals before Jamie Huber scored from Brady Lauze and Cullen Mercer. After that the Lakers gave up two more two goals before Josh Higgins scored from Nathan Smith. The Generals added two more goals in the 2nd period with Ted Nichol closing out the scoring in the 3rd period from Blake Nichol and Jamie Huber for a final 6 – 3 win for Oshawa. Josh Higgins picked up the MVP of the game for the Lakers.
Game # 3 vs. Timmins Storm early Saturday morning it was a good two way game except Timmins had no offensive finish as the Lakers recorded a 8 – 1 win. Goal scorers for the Lakers were; (2) Ted Nichol, Cullen Mercer, Josh Higgins, Zach Jacobs, Nathan Smith, Jamie Huber and Carson Brookshaw. Assists going to; (3) Cullen Mercer, (2) Jamie Huber, Tristan Connolly, Evan Chaffe, Blake Nichol, Ted Nichol, Eric MacPhee, and Zach Jacobs. Owen Chapman had the win in net and Jamie Huber picked up the MVP of the game for the Lakers. This win guaranteed the Lakers a spot in the semi-finals on Sunday.
Game # 4 vs Cumberland Grads, once again the Lakers found themselves down by two goals early in the game before Cullen Mercer scored from Jamie Huber, with Cumberland adding one more in the 1st period. After a scoreless 2nd period Ted Nichol scored off the rush early in the 3rd period with assists going to Cullen Mercer and Zach Jacobs. The Lakers did everything they could but couldn’t get another puck behind the Cumberland goalie with Cumberland adding a empty net goal with one second remaining in the game to hand a 4 – 2 lost to the Lakers. Cullen Mercer was named MVP of the game for the Lakers.
Semi-Finals vs. Clarington Toros, even though the Lakers won the game when the two teams faced-off in the round robin the Toros finished in 1st place as the only game they lost was to the Lakers. The Toros came out strong looking for revenge, but the Lakers were equally as strong until late in the 1st period when the Toros went on the scoreboard. Unfortunately the Lakers gave up two more 2nd period goals. With the "never say die" attitude that the HPL Major PeeWees have finally developed this year they came out strong in the 3rd period where Ted Nichol put the Lakers on the scoreboard with the assist going to Cullen Mercer. As the 3rd period went on the Lakers were all over the Toros and finally with 1:27 left in the 3rd Cullen Mercer scored un-assisted on a goal mouth scramble. The Lakers took a time out immediately after the goal and planned strategy for the final minute. With the Laker goalie on the bench the Lakers did everything but score and with time winding down the Toros scored into the empty net. Owen Chapman was named MVP of the game for the Lakers.
Cullen Mercer was awarded with the “Top Scorer” award of the tournament.
Back into league play the Lakers traveled to Cambridge this passed Tuesday where the out come of the game was determined with special teams play. The Lakers started off with a shorthand goal by Evan Chaffe with the assist going to Kenny Huether. The next three goals that the Lakers scored were all power play goals. Kenny Huether with two and Zach Jacobs with the other, assists going to Nathan Smith, Ted Nichol, Eric MacPhee, Kenny Huether and Zach Jacobs. Josh Higgins picked up an empty net goal and Ben Larder had the win in net.
There are four remaining league games to play for the Lakers before play-offs start in late January.