Bell Capital Cup
Minor Peewee AA Rangers win Bell Capital Cup
By Fred Sherwin
OrleansOnline,ca

Zach Holroyd (left) and Liam Murdoch hold up the Bell Capital Cup after the Gloucester Rangers Major Peewee AA team beat the Blue Junior Black team from Finland 3-2 in the final. Photo courtesy of InAction Photograohy

It didn’t matter which country the opposition came from for the Gloucester Rangers Major Peewee AA team at this year’s Bell Capital Cup — Canada, the United States, even Finland, the Rangers beat them all en route to capturing the tournament championship.

On New Year’s Eve, the Rangers proudly skated around Canadian Tire Centre ice with the Allen J. MacDonald Memorial Trophy after defeating the Blue Junior Black from Finland 3-2 in the championship final.

“Beating a Finnish team in the final is definitely a storybook ending for the boys,” said Rangers’ head coach, Kennedy Johnston.

“The whole experience of playing at the home of the Ottawa Senators along with the thrill of winning the championship is something I know I will never forget, it’s very special.”

After finishing No.1 and No. 2 in round robin play, Gloucester (12 pts) and Finland (10 pts) ended up in the big game after squashing their opponents in the playoff rounds,

Initially, the Rangers lost 3-2 to the Timmins North Stars in their tournament opener, before rattling off three consecutive wins over American competition. The Rangers winning streak was composed of victories against Winchester, MA (4-0), the New England Jr. Falcons (2-0) and the Lancaster, PA Firebirds (2-1).

The Rangers qualified for the champi- onship game with an exciting 3-2 double overtime win over the Ottawa Sting in the semi-finals thanks to Jackson Dallaire’s game-winning marker.

The Finnish team knocked off Timmins 5-2 in their semi-final to set up the international showdown at the CTC.

The Rangers jumped out to quick start and struck just 53 seconds into the opening period on a goal by Tristan Faubert that was set up by linemates Marc-Antoine Petrut and Cole Cassidy.

The Finns did everything they could to get the equalizer, but Mason Ramsey was solid between the pipes for Gloucester.

The Rangers doubled their lead at the 2:14 mark of the second period when Cassidy completed a picture perfect tik-tak-toe play, started by Olivier Johnston who sent a lead pass to Cassidy, who then worked a give and go play with Faubert before beating Finnish goalie Oliver Hannula glove side.

“The team was excited when we went ahead 2-0 but I warned them that Finland is a very good team and wouldn’t give up,” Johnston said.

He was right as Aleksi Leisti responded with a breakaway goal for Finland at the 5:10 mark of the second period that cut the Rangers’ lead in half.

There seemed to be no stopping the Gloucester side, however, as they regained their two goal lead at the 3:47 mark of the final stanza when Faubert notched his second of the game on a pass from Cassidy

Finnish skater Eeilis Leikkari set up an exciting finish when he managed to tuck a loose puck under a prone Ramsey to make it a one goal game wth 3:39 left on the clock.

The Rangers would make things even more interesting when Cassidy was sent off for interference with 34 seconds left to go, allowing the Finns a two-man advantage after they pulled their goalie.

The Rangers remained calm and held on for the big win and even bigger celebration as the final buzzer sounded.

“The competition in our division was excellent it forced us (Gloucester) to be at our best. Coming out on top was biggest win of the year,” said Johnston.

Their most recent accomplishment at the Bell Capital Cup marks the team’s third tournament win this season.

In November, the Rangers captured the Wally Beavis tournament in Peterborough and the Kingston Canadians tourney the same month.

The team has a week to enjoy their Bell Capital Cup success before resuming their regular season schedule on Jan. 8 against the St. Lawrence Steel.

The Rangers currently sit in third place in the Hockey Eastern Ontario standings, two points up on St. Lawrence and six points back of the second place Ottawa Sting. The Nepean Raiders currently lead the division with 41 points in 24 games.

Members of the Gloucester Rangers Major Peewee AA team pose with the Bell Capital Cup and championship banner. Photo courtesy of InAction Photograohy

Of the three Gloucester peewee teams entered in the Bell Capital Cup, all three made it to their respective division finals including the Minor Peewee AA squad which played up in the Minor Peewee AAA division and beat the Ajax Pickering Raiders 4-0 in the final on goals by Owen Outwater, Dylan Paron, Tanner Fennell and Atiqalaaq Uuttuvak.

Owen Willgos registered the shutout in net for the Rangers.

The younger Rangers outscored their opponents 41-13 in compiling a perfect 7-0 record playing in the highly competitive AAA division.

The four leading scorers in the division were all from Gloucester, with Outwater (9G, 6A) edging out Christopher Barlas (8G, 7A) by one goal for the tournament scoring title.

The third Rangers peewee team to make it to the division finals was the Minor Peewee A squad which lost 2-1 to the Ottawa Sting in the Minor Peewee AA final.

The Rangers made it into the final by compiling a 4-0-0 record in the round robin portion of the tournament. They were led by Daniel Kyte who had four goals and two assists in five games including the final.

Logan Graham (3G, 2A) and Morgan Deslauriers (1G, 4A) contributed five points each.

In the girls Peewee AA division, the Gloucester-Cumberland Stars lost 1-0 to the Barrie Sharks in double overtime.

It was a heartbreaking loss for a team that averaged nearly five goals per game in amassing a perfect 5-0 record in the round robin portion of the tourament while giving up just four goals against.

(Posted 8:30 p.m., Jan .3)

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