ATOM REP WIN GOLD IN THE COLD
The Langton Leafs - Long's Lumber Atom Rep team travelled to Tara this weekend to battle the cold and competition in the annual AEMHA Atom Rep Tournament.
Opening their schedule on Saturday morning vs the Lucknow Sepoys, they played a strong game winning 3-1, using strong goaltending and effective skating to wear down their opponent.
With a few hours rest, they played again that afternoon, facing off against the Dresden Jr Kings. After going down 3-0 by the end of the first period, they battled their way back to a 4-3 lead, only to have the win stripped from them with Dresden goals at 46 and 17 seconds remaining.
Forced to play the 9am game on Sunday for their one loss, they took the ice against the TDCMHA Rebels. The early game time and late night at the Owen Sound Attack OHL game didn't stop the boys from giving it their all. They worked their way to a solid performance and defeated the Rebels 3-1.
Game two for the Leafs came at 12:30pm against a familiar opponent from the day before, the Lucknow Sepoys. With an almost identical game, they had an identical result, a 3-0 win.
The day's third and gold medal game came at 2pm against a team that had given them the only mark in their loss column, the Dresden Jr Kings. With fatigue setting in, the coaching staff rallied this young group and helped them rise to the challenge in front of them... revenge. With the opening face-off, the Leafs took control of the game, playing their speed and limiting time in their own end defensively. Excellent goal tending, great defense and strong offense proved to be too much for Dresden as the Leafs earned a decisive victory 4-0.
A special thank you to
Conner McDavid of the Erie Otters OHL hockey team. This incredible young man gave up his free time after the Owen Sound game on Saturday night to individually meet and sign autographs for each and every player on the Leafs team. It's this kind of personality and generosity that make professional athletes not just good, but great!