For hundreds of dedicated Local League hockey players in Prince Edward County, over five months of games and practices finally came to fruition as the Inter community Hockey League hosted it's annual 2018-19 Championship weekend on Mar. 2 and 3 in various rinks across Southeastern Ontario.
“We are so proud of all of our teams, our volunteer staff and our parents for representing the Prince Edward County Minor Hockey Association so well this season,” PECMHA President Steve Payne said.
The ICHL is an eight association league that ranges from Prince Edward County in the south to Stirling in the west to Frontenac in the North and Gananoque in east with entires from the various minor hockey groups playing a 20-25 game schedule from Oct. To Jan. And a round robin playoff format in Feb. With a culmination weekend in early Mar.
In the Novice ranks, Napanee was the scene for the B Championship where the Prinzen Ford Kings fell to the Gananoque Islanders.
The scoring details were somewhat dusty for this contest but the Jack Thompson did manage to score a goal for the Kings.
In the Atom A pool D Championship, the host PEC Atomic Orange Kings scored early and often to topple the Napanee Stars 2 team 8-4.
Ben Westervelt had three assists and added the eventual game winning tally in the early part of the second period.
Cole Byford lit the lamp twice for the Kings while Owen Denouden was the winning netminder.
In the A pool B championship, the PEC Atomic Blue Kings mounted an heroic comeback but couldn't best the visiting Stone Mills Sabres.
Down 4-1 with under three minutes left, Noah Blower blasted home a Drew McCabe feed to get the locals back in the game.
With less than a minute to play, it was Blower and Brady Terpstra setting up Jaydon Hass to get the score to 4-3.
Unfortunately the Kings couldn't find the equalizer and the club ran out of time.
Olivier Carrier tended net for the Kings.
In the Pee Wee ranks, it was an all-Prince Edward County final in the ICHL's A pool B championship as Scotiabank and Kinsmen tangled in Stirling.
After being unable to beat Kinsmen all season long, the Scotiabank Kings were hungry on Sunday and it showed in their play.
Scotiabank would score four goals in the first period en route to a 7-4 victory.
Josh Vader's first of the season helped spark a seven goal outburst and Draeden Hymus paced the Scotiabank offence with a hat trick effort.
Netminder Nolan Gurnig picked up the win in the Scotiabank net.
Kallen Van Cott had a pair of goals for Kinsman who suffered just their third loss all season.
In the Bantam group, the big story was the Sobeys Bantam Kings popping the cork on their first win of the season Sunday and capturing the B Championship of the B pool in dramatic fashion, topping the Stirling Blues 2-1 at Stone Mills in overtime.
Down 1-0, Emerson Byford's goal at the end of the second period tied the contest up at 1-1.
Netminder Riley Symons was outstanding down the stretch as the Kings ran into penalty trouble in the final frame.
After killing off another penalty and with a shootout looming, Byford grabbed a loose puck and pumped home a championship winner with just 10 seconds left in the overtime session.
In the A pool in Frontenac on Saturday, callup Cooper Istead scored as did Nic Foster but the Scotiabank Bantam Kings fell to the Deseronto Bulldogs in the A pool B championship.
In the midget division, Subway was able to get past the Napanee Stars 6-3 in the B Pool B championship.
Peter McGuey tallied twice while Keegan Scott, Spencer Scott, Spencer Haennel and James Werkhoven all lit the lamp for singles.
Khalim Near was the winning netminder.
In the A pool A final, the Jewell Roofing Kings hung tough but were ultimately downed by the host Gananoque Islanders 5-1.
Tristan Lavender set up Max Lindsay for the Kings lone tally.
Matt Young tended net for the Kings.
ICHL PECMHA Finals Summary skillfully put together by PECMHA Executive Member Jason Parks
