Following last week’s tremendous AAA tournament at Sixteen-Mile sports complex for the U10, U11, U16, and U18 age groups, the OMHA was back for another great weekend of hockey for the U12-U15 age groups.
U12
The eight teams that participated in this age group were as follows:
- Barrie Jr Colts
- Peterborough Petes
- Halton Hurricanes
- Guelph Gryphons
- Niagara North Stars
- Oakville Rangers
- Quinte Red Devils
- Clarington Toros
The first semi-final game saw the Oakville Rangers take on the Barrie Jr Colts.
The game was an absolute barn burner as it saw both teams show incredible skill and teamwork.
The Rangers saw themselves gain a 3-1 lead with about two and a half minutes left. The Rangers could smell a finals appearance.
But Barrie scored at the 2:11 mark to bring the game to 3-2, and then again with 28 seconds left in regulation to tie the game and force overtime.
The overtime period was an exhilarating frame of hockey. The game went to double overtime, and the game was decided near the end of the second overtime period.
The Barrie Jr Colts scored the semi-final winning goal with 1:12 left in overtime, winning the game and moving on to the Championship.
The second semi-final between Niagara and Peterborough was not as intense as the first game but was just as entertaining.
Niagara gained a 2-0 lead in the first period, but right before the end, Peterborough scored a goal to cut the lead to 2-1.
Both teams fought hard for the rest of the game, and the game stayed at 2-1 for the majority of the game.
Niagara added an empty netter with five seconds left to seal their victory and book a spot in the Championship game.
The Championship game between Niagara and Barrie defined what a championship game should be.
The game was tight and evenly matched and stayed even throughout the entire game.
After Barrie got out to a 4-2 lead in the third period, Niagara stormed back and scored two unanswered goals to tie the game 4-4 and force overtime.
The game went to double overtime, just like the game between Barrie and Oakville, and just like that game, the Colts pulled out a win near the end of double overtime, capturing the Championship for their club and their fans.
U13
The eight teams that participated in this age group
- York-Simcoe Express
- Halton Hurricanes
- Grey-Bruce Highlanders
- Barrie Jr Colts
- Niagara North Stars
- Markham Waxers
- Oakville Rangers
- Richmond Hill Coyotes
The semi-Final one saw the York-Simcoe Express take on the Markham Waxers.
York-Simcoe and Markham played a very tight first two periods of hockey, and the second period ended with a 2-1 York-Simcoe lead.
The Express took off in the third period scoring three goals in the third period and winning the game by a 5-2 score.
Semi-Final two was an offensive onslaught by the Niagara North Stars against the Halton Hurricanes.
The North Stars won by a score of 9-0 and moved on to the championship game.
The Championship game between Niagara and York-Simcoe was good.
The game was tight in the first period, and the frame ended with a 2-1 score.
Niagara pulled away in the second with two big goals giving the North Stars a 4-1 lead at the end of the second period.
Both teams traded goals in the third, giving Niagara the 5-2 win and the U13 Championship.
U14
The eight teams that competed in the U14 division
- Peterborough Petes
- York-Simcoe Express
- Niagara North Stars
- Grey-Bruce Highlanders
- Oakville Rangers
- Barrie Jr Colts
- Guelph Gryphons
- Greater Kingston Jr. Gaels
The semi-final one was between the Peterborough Petes and the Barrie Jr Colts.
The game was a tightly contested affair between two very good teams.
The Petes scored two goals in the first period giving them a 2-0 lead at the end of the frame.
The second period saw a scoreless frame keeping the score at 2-0 for the third period.
Peterborough scored again in the third, giving the team a 3-0 lead and the shutout win for their goalie.
Semi-Final 2 was between the Oakville Rangers and the York-Simcoe Express.
The game was a very close affair, and both teams were very evenly matched.
York-Simcoe struck first in the opening period giving them a 1-0 lead at the end of the period.
The second period had the team's trade goals making the score 2-1 at the end of the period.
No goals were scored in the third period giving the Express a 2-1 victory and a chance to compete for the Championship.
The Championship between the Petes and Express was an absolute classic.
The game was a tightly contested affair between two teams that desperately wanted to win.
Both teams scored in the first period making the score 1-1 at the end of the frame.
York-Simcoe scored in the second period giving the team a 2-1 lead with only one more period left to go in the game.
The express tried to hang on for the rest of the period to secure a U14 Championship, but with 58 seconds left in the game, Peterborough scored, tying the game and sending the game to overtime.
The first overtime period saw no goals, so we were in store for another overtime period.
Shortly after the puck was dropped in the second overtime, the Petes found the back of the net, winning the game and the U14 OMHA Championship.
U15
The eight teams that competed in the U15 division
- Central Ontario Wolves
- York-Simcoe Express
- Southern Tier Admirals
- Niagara North Stars
- Halton Hurricanes
- Peterborough Petes
- Hamilton Jr Bulldogs
- Barrie Jr Colts
The semi-Final one was a great game between the Peterborough Petes and the Central Ontario Wolves.
The first period had no scoring, but both teams played extremely good hockey in the first frame.
In the second period, the floodgates opened, and the goals started to come for both teams.
Central Ontario scored three big goals compared to the Petes, one giving them a 3-1 lead at the end of the second period.
Peterborough scored one goal in the third but could not score another, and Central Ontario won the game 3-2.
Semi-Final two was between the Halton Hurricanes and the Southern Tier Admirals.
This game wasn’t as close as the first semi-final as Halton scored three in the first period and would not take their foot off the gas and took this game by 6-2.
The Championship game was all Halton.
Halton scored one in the first period, another goal in the second, and two more goals in the third, giving the Hurricanes a 4-0 win and the U15 Championship.