U13A Talbot Trail Blazers win Guelph Power Play tournament

The U13A Talbot Trail Blazers travelled to Guelph November 22-24 and came home the champions of the 52nd Annual Power Play Tournament. 

In game #1 against Orleans Blue, the team came out with a slow start and didn’t score until the second period, but ended strong with a 6-2 victory. 

Goal scorers were Christian Rutgers (Ashton Drozdz, Carter Demant), Zander Cook (Drake Pernal), Michael Mastronardi, (Rutgers, Demant), Drake Pernal (Grossi), Rutgers (Demant) and Asher Grossi (Alex Antonios).

In game two, the Blazers faced the Windsor Jr. Spitfires and won 4-2. Goal scorers were Christian Rutgers (Ada Mc-Keen, Brady George), Evan Ketler (Ryder Chevalier), Ryder Chevalier and Zander Cook.

Game three was a match against Chatham Kent Cobras.  The Blazers had just played them in league play with a 2-1 loss and were out to turn the tables and they did that with a convincing 5-0 victory.

Goal scorers were Carter Demant (Rutgers), Zander Cook (Antonios), Eddie Zieba (Russell Colenutt, Ben MacQuarrie), Rutgers (Demant) and Drake Pernal (Cook). Playing an extremely strong game in net making several point-blank saves was Keegan Pope, who earned the shutout.

In game four, Talbot Trail faced the Glancaster Bombers.  This was a very close game from start to finish — and what a finish it was.

Glancaster opened the scoring with goals in the second and third period. 

With 1:46 remaining in the game, Cook was assessed a tripping penalty. 

Eight seconds later, Christian Rutgers scored shorthanded on a breakaway, set up by Russell Colenutt. 

With the Blazers’ goalie pulled, Rutgers jammed in another on a goalmouth scramble, assisted by Evan Ketler and Carter Demant.  

With 30 seconds remaining, the referee called a questionable delay of game penalty against Talbot Trail.

Because there was less than two minutes remaining in the game, it is an automatic penalty shot. The Bombers’ player scored on the ensuing shot, and despite hitting a goal post with eight seconds left, the Blazers lost the game 3-2. 

Championship Sunday saw the Blazers facing the hometown Guelph Gryphons in the semi-finals.  

Christian Rutgers opened the scoring in the first minute of play, set up by a long pass from Ada McKeen. 

While the second period was scoreless, early in the third period, Carter Demant made an awesome end-to-end rush to score.  With one minute left in the game, Rutgers (Demant, Pernal) scored for a final score of 3-0.  Earning the shutout was Keegan Pope.

The championship game was a rematch with the Cambridge Hawks.  The Blazers had faced the Hawks three weeks earlier in the final game in Belleville and had lost a heartbreaker by a 3-1 score.

Michael Mastronardi (Ashton Drozdz, Christian Rutgers) showed that the Blazers were out for revenge  as  he opened the scoring  in the first  17 seconds. 

Next, in the second period, it was Eddie Zieba firing a low bullet on a beauty of a pass from Ryder Chevalier. Also getting an assist was Ada McKeen. 

In the third period, Mastronardi slammed in his second of the game from Drozdz, and to seal the deal Rutgers fired in a signature corner shot. 

Playing a strong game between the pipes and making several key saves was Niklas Trajkovski to earn the 4-0 shutout victory.  

Throughout the six games, the entire team played extremely well to bring home the championship trophy. 

The team is coached by a dedicated staff of Ryan Chevalier, Doug McKeen, Matt Pope, Troy Dutot, Kevin Gale and manager Cheryl Chevalier.