Quick Feet Win Third Championship of Season, News, Major Atom, 2013 (Quick Feet Hockey)

This Team is part of the 2013 season, which is not set as the current season.
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Jun 02, 2013 | cprues | 1926 views
Quick Feet Win Third Championship of Season
The 2002 Quick Feet boys have done it once again.  Third tournament and third championship win.  What a way to cap off a great season!

In the first of four round robin games Quick Feet took on Green Gloves.  Both teams wanted to start the tournament off with a win.  This determination was evident right from the drop of the puck.  Both teams traded scoring chances in the first but neither team could find the back of the net.  The Quick Feet defense of Tatum Behan, Owen Moyer, Coleson Fischer, Thomas Gangl, Eric Black and Ethan Andrews and goaltender Landon Kinch were outstanding in keeping Green Gloves off the scoreboard in the first.  The fast pace of play continued in the second period.  Finally at the 3:33 mark of the second Nathan Naves battled hard for the puck in the slot area and then let go a hard wrist shot to the top corner giving Quick Feet a one-goal lead.  The second period ended with Quick Feet up by one goal.  Early in the third Green Gloves evened it up after a battle out front of the Quick Feet net.  A couple of minutes after that, Nathan Naves with a great individual effort battling down low for the puck and then working himself to the front of the net waiting out the goalie and then roofing a shot to the top corner.  That would prove to be the game winner.  Quick Feet with a 2-1 win.  The exact start to the tournament that Quick Feet was looking for.

The next opponent for Quick Feet was Edge.  Although the second game of the day, Quick Feet still had lots of energy in the tank for this one.  The first period was spent feeling out the opponent and ended with no scoring.  Halfway through the second period some hard work from Gavin Mikazco in the corner paid off when Will Black tapped in his pass and a one-goal lead.  There was no further scoring in the second period.  In the third period Quick Feet continued to press and early on Brody Leblanc went five-hole after some hard work from Luke Eurig to keep the puck in the offensive zone.  Later in the third Nathan Naves forced the turnover in the neutral zone and then skated the puck into the Edge’s zone and fired the puck five-hole on a bad angle shot.  Quick Feet defence and goaltending from Caden Prues was again exceptional and kept Edge off the scoreboard.  Quick Feet took this one with a 3-0 win.

Saturday was an early start to the day with an 8:00 am game.  First up for Quick Feet was the Blue Thunder.   Quick Feet started quick when Evan Dewar banged home a Nathan Naves wrap around.  Later in the first period Brody Leblanc scored from the slot with assists to Owen Rahn and Luke Eurig.  The scoring continued in the second with Will Black notching one from Gavin Mikazco and Jaden Goldie.  Later Owen Rahn scored on a rebound after Eric Black carried it into the Blue Thunder’s zone.  The second period finished with Quick Feet up 4-0.  Early in the third period Brayden Krueger riffled a shot into the top corner on a set up from Nathan Naves and Luke Eurig.  Halfway through the third period the Blue Thunder got one back after some work around the Quick Feet net.  Quick Feet finished the game with two more goals the first from Gavin Mikazco when he backhanded home a Will Black pass and then Luke Eurig after a Brody Leblanc shot.  Final score was 7-1 for Quick Feet.

The final round robin opponent was Kawartha.  The objective was simple, win and guarantee yourself a spot on Sunday.  If you lose then with a little bit of luck you might get through in the wild card spot, but why risk it.  Quick Feet ended up on the wrong side of wild card formula last year, so why tempt fate again?  Early morning game and late afternoon game did not help the Quick Feet boys.  The energy levels were low for this one.  Kawartha started early against us and we didn’t push back at all in this game.  Kawartha scored about three minutes into the first and picked up their second about half way through the second.  Quick Feet picked up the pace a little in the third period but it wasn’t enough on this day and Quick Feet would lose this one by a score of 2-0.  This was the first loss of the spring season.  The loss allowed Kawartha to play on Sunday and forced Quick Feet to look earning a wild card berth to Sunday.

With 3 wins and 1 loss in round robin play, Quick Feet finished in 2nd place in their pool just behind Kawartha.  Quick Feet was tied with the Rhinos (from another division) with 6 points.  To determine the wild card spot the first tie-breaking determination is goals against.  Fortunately, Quick Feet only allowed 4 goals in round robin play and were rewarded with the wild card and a spot in Sunday’s semi-final.

The semi-final was against the Ice Kings.  The Ice Kings are one of the top spring hockey teams and Quick Feet was up for the challenge.  Quick Feet started early with a strong forecheck and puck control, but were unable to get a goal in the first.   The pressure continued in the second that forced the Ice Kings to take a penalty.   That allowed Brayden Krueger to bang home a Nathan Naves rebound following some hard work behind the net.  The defensive unit of Tatum Behan, Owen Moyer, Coleson Fischer, Thomas Gangl, Eric Black and Ethan Andrews were playing in top form keeping the Ice Kings away from the net.  Quick Feet took a one goal lead into the third period.  The third period was a hard fought battle for both teams.  A couple of minutes into the period the Ice Kings broke into the Quick Feet zone and the play had some people in the crowd and on the ice thinking the play was off-side and those on the ice gave up on the puck allowing the Ice Kings to carry on with 2-0 against the Quick Feet goalie.  Landon Kinch made the first save but the trailer was there to score on the second shot.  The third period was intense as both teams traded great scoring opportunities but the goaltending was big with many great saves.  The third period ended with no further scoring so we were off to a five-minute overtime period.   A couple of minutes into overtime, the Ice Kings took another penalty.  Quick Feet moved the puck well during the power play and then with the puck back to the point, Eric Black wristed a shot to the net which was tipped out front by Will Black and into the back of the net.  The crowd went wild!  Quick Feet with the game winner and was off to the tournament championship.  The score sheet recorded it as Black from Black.  Final score was 2-1 for Quick Feet.

The championship final was set.  Quick Feet had to face Kawartha in the re-match from the round robin play.  This time Quick Feet was ready, there would be no repeat of the previous day.  This was demonstrated right from the drop of the puck.  Once again Quick Feet started with a hard forecheck as they trapped Kawartha in their zone.  The early pressure paid off when Will Black forced the turnover at the Kawartha blue-line and scored a beauty to the top shelf from just outside the slot area.  I don’t think the goalie even saw it.  Later in the first period Brody Leblanc forced another turnover deep in the Kawartha zone and then converted a backhand deke and a 2-0 lead.  Quick Feet appeared to be in control after a strong first period.  The second period was well played by both teams and about halfway through the second Kawartha cut the lead in half.  After two periods Quick Feet had a one-goal lead.  We were in for an exciting finish.  The third period was intense for all in the Collingwood arena.  Kawartha had some good scoring opportunities early on but Quick Feet goaltender Caden Prues stood tall making some big saves to hold the lead for his team.  About halfway through the third period some nice passing from Jaden Goldie and Gavin Mikazco in the neutral zone freed up Will Black on a break away and he made no mistake beating the Kawartha goalie to top corner on the glove hand side.   The two-goal lead was short lived as Kawartha took advantage of a defensive zone break down leaving a Kawartha shooter wide open at the side of the net.  Things didn’t look good when Quick Feet took a penalty with three and half minutes left in the third period.  The Quick Feet penalty killing had been solid all weekend and this penalty kill was no different.  Quick Feet successfully killed the penalty and once they were back 5 on 5 Will Black completed the hat trick when he roofed his third of the game.  Quick Feet had the insurance they needed with just 1:19 left to play in the third.  Kawartha pulled the goalie for the extra attacker and with just 11 seconds left in the game Nathan Naves scored the empty netter and Quick Feet were tournament champions.  Final score was 5-2.

Great finish to the season boys!  I think I speak on behalf of all the parents when I say we are very proud of the way you played.  It was a pleasure to watch such a talented young team.  Future looks bright!  Enjoy the summer and good luck with your hockey season next year.

Special thanks to the coaching staff, Rob LeBlanc, Jeff Rahn, Chris Fischer and Ken Naves on a job well done!

Until next year, 

Chris Prues