Team News

Dr Ed Smolen Family Dentistry sponsored Peewee A’s had waited a while to continue the playoff series for the MPS Division Championship. Having defeated Huntsville they were now to face Parry Sound in the final best 2 out of 3 games for the championship. Our first game was scheduled for Friday March 23 at 730pm in Humphrey approximately 10 minutes from Parry Sound. It was nice to have the good weather for the drive. The Highland Storm Peewee A’s were 4 players short for the first game, but most of our players have played with a short bench over the last few season and we hoped this would help them get thru this game. It was an exciting fast paced game with the Storm outskating and outplaying the Shamrocks. The Storm scored first with a goal by Chase Burden assisted by Chris Thompson in the first period. The Shamrocks tied it up either near the end of the first or the begining of the second, and then they got a one goal lead only to have it tied by with a unassisted goal by Greg Crofts. The game remained tied  to the end of the third period despite efforts by both teams to get the winning goal, forcing the game into overtime of 5 minutes of 4 on 4. The Storm boys continued their effort despite the short bench, and the overtime period and a short time into overtime Matt Wilbee took the puck and put it into the Shamrocks net for the win of 3-2. The two teams next meeting was on Saturday March 24 at 1pm in Haliburton and the Storm were lucky enough to be only 3 players short for this game but it made no difference they had come to win! From the drop of the puck in the first period they showed it by getting 6 goals in the first period,Matt Wilbee assisted by Chase Burden and Max MacNaull, Ethan Keefer assisted by Greg Crofts and Kyle Cooper,Ethan Keefer assisted by Kyle Cooper,Kyle Cooper unassisted,Mark Saville assisted by Max MacNaull and for a hat trick, Ethan Keefer again assisted by Greg Crofts. The second period saw less scoring, Parry Sound managed one goal only to have Matt Wilbee match it assisted by Chase Burden and Ethan Keefer. At the top the third period  The Storm was well ahead but you never know what is going to happen with a period of hockey left to play. Parry Sound came out and managed two more goals at the begining of the third, once again to have them match by Matt Wilbee (2) assisted by Ethan Keefer, Max MacNaull and Chris Thompson. This gave Matt Wilbee a hat trick plus one, try as he might he was unable to get another goal and finishes the season with 69 goals to his credit. Parry Sound managed one more goal but the win was to the Storm at 9-4, making the Highland Storm Peewee A’s the Muskoka Parry Sound Division Champions!!! I would also like to mention our two goalies who played  a great game Parker Smolen and Ryan Hannah also forwards Devyn Prentice and Josh Boice, our missing players whose efforts thru the season helped to get us to this win, Jake Bull, Andrew Hall and Jake Bishop. We would like to thank the boys for a great season of hockey, the bench for their time and effort,the officials (as we rarely take time to say it) and of course the fans, newspapers and radio for their support and coverage. See you next season, have a safe and good spring and summer.

The Highland Storm Peewee AE team won the semi-finals in 3 straight games over the Lakefield Chiefs and moves onto the OHMA finals. It was a do or die game for the Chiefs on Sunday March 4^th, but there was little they could do to keep the Storm at bay. It was the desire to win that shown brightly in every player and resulted in a 5-1 victory for the team. Both teams started out strong in the first period, making it was hard to tell which way this game would go. It was late in the period while short handed that a pass from Jacob Haedicke to Jon Morrison got the Storm’s first goal. The Chiefs came out hopeful and aggressive in the second period but the Storm was ready. Both teams had some awesome chances but that period ended scoreless and still at 1-0 for the Storm. The third period has always been the best for the Storm team and it was proven once more in this game. There was nothing the Chiefs could do to hold back the Storm. Whether on a power play or short handed the Storm was unstoppable. They secured the win taking a 5-0 lead with 4 minutes left in the game. Goals scored by Jesse Sisson and Jon Morrison, assists by Aidan Garbutt and Mitch Billings, other unassisted goals by Alex Wilbee and Mitch Billings.

Excellent job boys! Good luck in the Finals!

The Highland Storm Peewee AE team travelled to Lakefield on Saturday March 3^rd for game 2 of the semi-finals. It was a fast paced game from the start, with both teams looking for the first goal. The Storm team had a 4-minute power play to start the first period but Lakefield managed to hold them off. However, it was late in the first period when passes from Carter O’Neill and Matt Manning landed on the stick of Trevor Turner and he scored. It was an aggressive game that kept building, with many opportunities by the Storm team. The frustrated Storm team kept their composure after they found the net twice, but both goals were called back. It was late in the second period when the Storm turned it up a notch. An awesome pass by Mitch Billings landed on the stick of Jon Morrison. He made his way to the net and fired it in, making it 2-0, and that ended the second period. It was right off the faceoff when Lakefield finally scored, making it 2-1 at the 11 minute mark of the third. The aggression and frustration kept building for the Storm team. It was a tough third period, with just a one-goal lead. With just a minute left, Lakefield pulled their goalie with an attempt to tie, but Ben Schmidt’s accurate shot found the empty net to seal the game 3-1. Awesome job boys!! Keep it going!

The Highland Storm Peewee AE playoffs continue against Lakefield. The first game was played in Haliburton on Friday, March 2^nd. It was a late game for the boys but that didn’t seem to affect their energy as they played to win and walked away with a 3-1 victory. The first goal by the Storm was at the half-way point of the first period on a power play. It was a shot from Jacob Haedicke that rebounded to Mitch Billings and off to the stick of Jon Morrison who found the opening for the first goal.

Lakefield tied it up with 5 minutes left in the first period. The second period began at a 1-1 tie. The Storm team worked well, killing off a 2 man advantage for a minute and a kept shutting down Lakefield’s power play. The Storm picked up some momentum and capitalized on great passes with another goal by Mitch Billings, assisted by Jon Morrison and Alex Wilbee. With just less than 2 minutes left in the second, Jon Morrison received an excellent breakaway pass from Ryan Prentice and put it away, making it 3-1 for the Storm. It entertained third period with back and forth hockey and lots of chances but not goals. A solid game by the Storm Peewee AE team, keep it up boys!

Dr Ed Smolen Family Dentistry sponsored Peewee A’s played the second game of the series in Haliburton,against the Huntsville Otters on Sunday March 4th at 130pm. Both teams were short players, so it seemed it would be an interesting game, it certainly wasn’t a pretty game. There was no scoring in the first period. The second period saw the Storm come out on top, with the first goal by Matt Wilbee assisted by Chris Thompson and Kyle Cooper. The second goal was by Mark Saville assisted by Greg Crofts and Ethan Keefer, and the third by Max MacNaull, assisted by Matt Wilbee and Kyle Cooper, making it 3-0 at the end of the second period. With the mish-mash of hockey and penalties who knew what the third period would bring. The Otters came out looking for some scoring and managed to dash goalie Parker Smolens thought of a shutout with 2 goals. But their celebration was short lived as the Storm boys came back and scored two more goals and by the end of the third period they had won 5-2 taking the series in 2. The goals were by Matt Wilbee assisted by Kyle Cooper and Chris Thompson and an open netter by Max MacNaull assisted by Kyle Cooper and Ethan Keefer. The next part of the Muskoka-Parry Sound series is apparently to be against Parry Sound, as of yet no time or dates are known.

Dr Ed Smolen, Family Dentistry sponsored Peewee A’s started their MPS playoffs this Sunday Feb 26 against the Huntsville Otters. The first game was on the big ice and the Otters took a while to get into the game. The first goal was scored by Mark Saville assisted by Ethan Keefer and Kyle Cooper and the second goal also in the first was by Matt Wilbee assisted by Greg Crofts and Chase Burden. By the second period it was  a tie game with our third goal coming from Max MacNaull assisted by Chris Thompson. Both teams were now playing hard but it looked like maybe the Storm was having a little trouble covering the big ice, when they pulled ahead making it 4-3 at the end of the second with a goal by Chase Burden assisted by Matt Wilbee and Chris Thompson. With both teams playing hard now and pretty much matching goal for goal, it left the fans wondering what was going to happen in the third. The teams came out and from the face off the Storm took the puck and within 57 seconds had scored two goals!!! to make it 6-3. The goals were by Chris Thompson assisted by Chase Burden and Matt Wilbee, and a beauty by Andrew Hall from the blue line, assisted by Kyle Cooper. That is how the scoring stayed until the end of the game making it a win for the Storm. This is the best 2 out of 3 game series, with the next game  Sunday March 4 at 130pm in Haliburton.

  Dr Ed Smolen Family Dentistry, Peewee A’s played the third game in their series against the Centre Hastings Grizzlies on Saturday Feb 18 at 5pm in Haliburton.  This was a do or die game. The Storm boys put forth a valiant effort but this was to be the end of their playdown road, with a loss of 4-2. Our two goals were scored by Matt Wilbee and Chris Thompson, I do not have the assists. Now we will move on to our playoffs within our loop, Muskoka-Parry Sound, as yet the dates and times of games are not known.

The Peewee AE team took the first series in 3 straight wins. The third game was played in Haliburton on Saturday, February 11th against Oshawa.  The first period started out with both teams working hard to dominate and ending it tied at 1-1. The Storm’s goal was unassisted by Jon Morrison. The momentum grew in the second period as the Storm found the net scoring 3 more goals. The constant rushes achieved Mitch Billings, Ben Schmidt and Jon Morrison the goals, with assists by Trevor Turner and Ryan Prentice.  It continued into the third period as the Storm took control of the game with some awesome passes and another 3 goals to end the game 7-1. Hats off to Ben Schmidt for 2 of the goals giving him a hat-trick, the other goal went to Alex Wilbee. The assists came from Aidan Garbutt, Ben Schmidt, Alex Petrie and Alec Stoughton.
Great job boys!

Dr Ed Smolen, Family Dentistry, started the OMHA semi finals on Sat Feb 11 against the Centre Hastings Grizzlies, a team they had met at several regular season tournaments. The Storm seemed to be outplaying and skating the Grizzlies on Saturday but the score board showed a different story, no matter how hard the boys tried the puck was just not their friend. The Grizzlies scored first  and by the end of the second period it was 4-1 for the them, our goal was scored by Chris Thompson, I think it was assisted by Josh Boice. Everyone continued to play hard and the Storm managed one more goal by Max MacNaull, but we ended up losing 5-2.  The second game was Sunday Feb 12 in Marmora, hopes were high as these teams are equally matched but it proved to be a similar game to Saturdays. With a great surge of effort and harder work in the third period the Storm boys managed two goals but were unable totie or win the game. It was a loss of 3-2 with our goals going to Chris Thompson, possibly assisted by Chase Burden and the second goal was by Chase Burden, I am unsure who assisted him. Our next game is Saturday Feb 18th at 5pm in Haliburton. Please come out and cheer these boys on, the have worked hard to get where they are, and a little encourgement goes a long way. Thanks for you support.

Dr Ed Smolen’s Family Dentistry Peewee A’s travelled to Whitby (The Iroquoise Centre) for their third game against the Durham Crusaders at 8pm Saturday Feb 4/12. I have to say that is one impressive building, 6 ice pads and 2 pools. Jake Bull assisted by Mark Saville and Matt Wilbee started the scoring in the first period only to have the Crusaders tie it up. This was big ice the boys were skating on but it did not seem to matter. The Storm scored two more goals in the second period, Matt Wilbee unassisted then Kyle Cooper assisted by Andrew Hall and Jake Bull. The Crusaders were determined to stay in the series but the Storm was more determined to end it. The Crusaders managed two more goals but the Storm boys got three more in the third, Chris Thompson assisted by Matt Wilbee,Kyle Cooper from Josh Boice and Andrew Hall, then Greg Crofts assisted by Devyn Prentice and Mark Saville to make it a 6-3 win for the Storm and a 3 game sweep to take this series. Parker Smolen was in net for most of the game and Ryan Hannah for part of the third. We are now waiting to see who we will meet for the semi finals in the OMHA playdowns.