SAULT STE. MARIE—After a bit of a slow start on Friday at this year’s Soo 3 on 3 Tournament held recently, Manitoulin’s Shoot to Score (S2S)-sponsored 2008 Northstar division squad got their legs going Saturday and won the last two games of round robin play.
This put them in third, facing the KBX Octane team in the semi-final that they had tied in Game 2. True to form, the semi was 4 – 4 at the end of regulation, with each team awarded two penalty shots.
S2S went first, and both Eric Thibeault and Jack Carter scored high glove. On KBX’s first shot, S2S’s goalie Sadie Bridgeman stood tall and forced the shooter to try and go over her, which he did—over her, over the net and off the glass. S2S were on to the final against an undefeated Soo NAPA squad.
From the drop of the puck in that final it was apparent the NAPA team was a well-rested, cohesive unit. S2S had little time to practice as a squad, and had relied on outstanding individual performances to get to the final. Under immediate and relentless pressure, the S2S team found themselves down by three after two and a half minutes. Refusing to give up, playing most of the first period pinned in their own end, the S2S team tirelessly checked and broke up plays on net, with goalie Sadie stopping most every shot that got through.
In the final period, playing their best hockey of the tournament but now down by four, S2S’s Jackson Noble capitalized on some strong team play and managed to get two back. The Soo squad was undaunted though, their attacks on goal coming in unceasing waves, and it ended in a 5 – 2 loss.
Congrats on a great tournament and an outstanding display of character, sportsmanship and grit in the final to goalie Sadie Bridgeman, defense Greyson Brewer and ‘Zee’ Toulouse, forwards Eric Thibeault, Jack Carter, Jackson Noble and Jack Bridgeman. You did us proud.
