All clear in Kincardine crease
By Josh Howald
The Kincardine Miller Insurance midget rep team didn’t allow a goal en route to a second straight championship at Kincardine’s own Archie McMillan Memorial tournament.
“The guys have bought into playing defence-first hockey, and it’s paying off,” said midget head coach Steve Stepaniak following his team’s 2-0 win over Mt. Brydges in Sunday’s championship game.
“The run (goaltender) Spence (Montgomery) is on right now is incredible,” said Stepaniak. “You’re obviously going to win a lot of hockey games when your goaltender has been scored on just once in the last eight games.”
This was Kincardine’s second tournament victory of the season. The defending OMHA and International Silver Stick champions went undefeated at a Caledonia tournament earlier in the month.
In Kincardine, Keegan McLelland scored all three goals for the KMHA as they opened the McMillan with a 3-0 win over Petrolia. Ashton Wilken then posted a shutout in a 1-0 win over Flesherton that was a little too close for comfort. Captain Michael Osadca scored the game’s lone goal with a booming clapper from the point.
Montgomery was back between the pipes in a 3-0 win over Mildmay Saturday night, which qualified Kincardine to play for the eight-team tournament title Sunday afternoon.
Mt. Brydges provided a familiar opponent for Kincardine in Sunday’s final – the teams met in last years OMHA semi-final series, which Kincardine swept.
After nearly two periods of scoreless hockey, Jordan Bell tapped home a feed from Marcel Fohkens to give the Kinucks a 1-0 lead. With the way Montgomery had looked all weekend, they knew it was likely enough.
Kincardine's Miller Insurance midget rep Kinucks won a second consecutive Archie McMillan Memorial tournament championship Sunday afternoon at the Davidson Centre. (Josh Howald photo)
“We have a great defence this year,” said Montgomery, deflecting the credit as cooly as he did so many weekend shots. “We know how to look after our own end.”
That’s because they must.
“”We’re not a team that is going to fill the net,” said Stepaniak. “But we’re confident with our goaltendering, if we score two or three goals each game we will be in good shape.”
Kincardine did score again in the final, but it wasn’t until 26 seconds remained and the Mt. Brydges goaltender was on the bench for an extra attacker. Bell scored his second goal of the game, which sparked a mini-melee behind the Mt. Brydges net.
The win capped off a good weekend of hockey at the Davidson Centre. Prior to the final, Petrolia dumped Twin Centres in double overtime to win the consolation championship.
Kincardine is now 12-0-1 on the season, and has eyes on repeating at the Silver Stick. The team isn’t scheduled to play another league game until Nov. 17 against Blyth-Brussels.
“The challenge is to keep the guys motivated through the next month leading up to the Silver Stick,” said Stepaniak. “We’re playing in an A tournament in Orillia that should be a good tune-up.”