Mar 24, 2025 | Scott Price | 813 views
U18 IceDogs Win WOAA Championship!
Your u18 LL IceDogs hosted the Kincardine Kinucks in an epic showdown in Chesley on Sunday in a winner take all Game 3. It will go down as one of the all time great games in IceDog history!
The IceDogs had come a long way to get here. With the deck stacked against them all season long, they persevered through a tough regular season. Losing 2nd year centre Austin L. to injury at Christmas sure didn't help. And it took a bit for these IceDogs to find their footing. But boy did they ever at the right time of year.
The IceDogs were all business during the pre-game talks and skate (brought to you by BioSteel). And right out of the gate, the IceDogs pounced. After killing off an early 4 minute penalty, Carter G got the IceDogs on the board with the icebreaker, collecting a great keep-in by Braden N. and ripping a high hard one to beat a very tough Kinuck netminder. The IceDogs were full on relentless and their tenacity was giving the Kinucks a hard time. "Big P" Peyton L. was equal to the task when the Kinucks did break loose and the first frame would end 1-0 IceDogs.
The second period was a penalty filled affair (and I mean penalty filled). Lots of the period was played 4 on 4 (and even 3 on 3) and Kincardine took advantage, collecting a puck behind the net and wrapping it in to knot things at one. But it didn't phase the IceDogs one bit. With a capacity crowd and fellow u15 and u18 IceDogs cheering them on, the IceDogs kept coming. But they just couldn't beat a tough Kincardine goalie and defense and they would have to settle for a 1-1 tie at the flood.
After a spirited coaches talk and a u18 rep team inspiring them, the IceDogs came out for the third a very determined group. Coming on the ice to the roar of the crowd certainly fired the IceDogs up. Brayden P would collect a beautiful breakout pass from his brother Ryan P, and attack the Kincardine Zone. With a "Gretzky Curl", he fed Carter G. in front who backhanded it in, and it was 2-1 IceDogs!! Still attacking, the IceDogs were full marks for their checking but Big P had to stand tall a few times, with glovely saves. A Kincardine winger would eventually break free and rip one in with 8 minutes left to play.
This IceDog team is no stranger to adversity in a game and they learned HOW to win. With time winding down they found themselves shorthanded after Ryan P had to take a penalty to thward a scoring chance. This time Brayden P and Carter G worked the puck down low and took advantage of a Kincardine mis-cue. Carter G. would collect the puck and his wrap in rebound came right to Brayden P, who beat a screened Kincardine goalie and the IceDogs were up 3-2 with 4 minutes to go! The IceDogs locked it down from there, never yielding a shot and Owen M. would seal the deal with an empty netter (and a beauty deke to boot)!
With the IceDog fans cheering the team to victory, the clock would tick down to zero on a tremendous season for a tremendous group. It's a rare privilege to coach a team that buys into playing unselfish hockey and for a common cause but this group did it in spades. Every single player was the best version of themselves.
The line of Owen M-Brayden P and Carter G. led the way on the ice and on the scoresheet, finishing 1-2-3 in playoff scoring in the WOAA.
Keegan H-Carter M and Kade S were absolute warriors on the forecheck and backcheck and outworked their opponents every shift in the 9 playoff games.
Lucas S. filled in up and down the lineup and was our biggest cheerleader on the bench.
Our D Corps of Ryan P, Ian M, Braden N, Brady L and Jake F. were stellar all playoffs, adjusting to match-ups and shutting the other teams best players down.
Other AP's Ben d, Justin S and Will H came out to practices when they could and helped us become the team we are today.
We sure missed Austin L when he went down to injury but the boys rallied and we were happy to present him with a medal last night.
And finally, no team wins without solid goaltending and Big P saved the best for last, coming up large in the last few playoff games.
Coaches Nathan M, Dan M, Lisa N. and myself are very proud to be part of the group....it was a hockey year we will never forget.
The hockey landscape will change next year, but this team will go down in the IceDog history books as one of greatest, in one of the greatest games.