The Similkameen News Leader
Sports Page - March 27, 2007
MAC LIND PEEWEES GO ALL THE WAY!
Mac Lind Peewees finished league play with an amazing 18 wins and two ties. This saw them with a first round bye to start the play-offs.
Their first match up was against the Penticton Ice Dogs who seemed to give Princeton some trouble in league play.
They even handed Princeton their first loss in their home tournament. The players were here to win and you could tell, by the way they dominated the game right from the start.
This game ended 9 to 5 for Princeton giving them another bye into the A Banner finals best-of-three. The team they would be facing was Westside #3 - a very good team and worthy opponent.
Princeton had home ice advantage so the first game would be in Princeton. Colby Williams opened the scoring putting two goals past the Westside netminder. From there on in they never looked back, with Drayden Larson, Kraig Leochko, Brady Johnson, and Bradley and Jordan Palumbo each registering a goal.
Westside did manage to get one by Jesse Murray who played a very strong game.
This would give Princeton a 1-0 series lead. At the end of their game they were told they would have to be in Westside for a 7:00 AM game Sunday. The team decided rather than getting up early in the morning the team headed to Westside to spend the night.
This game was a lot tougher with the Westside goalie making some excellent saves. Princeton had the lead going into the third period with goals from Eric Hardin and two goals from Drayden. But Westside was not ready to give up scoring and tied the game shortly in the third.
With about two minutes left Kraig Leochko scored to give Princeton the lead, with Drayden giving Princeton the insurance goal to win the game 6 to 4 and lay claim to the A Banner.
The whole team of Jordan and Bradley Palumbo, Jesse Murray, Colby Williams, Kraig Leochko, Drayden Larsen, Emily Allison, Jackie Chow, Eric Hardin, Franco Pontalleto, Devin White, Austin Thibert, Rhett Ortwien, Brady Johnson, Joshua Coyne, Zack Thompson, Nathan Garton, Justin Gill, Clayton Obee, and Brandon Peaker worked together for the win.
This was a very strong team this year and seemed to have developed along way since the beginning of the year. Congratulations on winning the A Banner!
