THUNDER BAY – A trip to southern Ontario, later in the week, awaits the Thunder Bay under-16 Kings where they will take part in the 55th Annual Kitchener Blueline Tournament.
There, a total of 15 U16 AAA teams will be vying for the title.
Opening up play Friday, Thunder Bay meets the Upper Canada Cyclones, who are based out of the Ottawa area, in Kemptville, Ont., at 1:30 p.m.
The Kings will then take on the Rochester Coalition from upstate New York later in the day at 8:45 p.m.
Saturday’s slate for the club begins at 11:30 a.m. with a matchup versus the Credit River Capitals, who compete out of Brampton.
Wrapping up round robin competition Saturday, a 5:30 p.m. start time awaits the Kings as they go up against the Canadian International Hockey Academy from Rockland, Ont.
Crossover division action with kick-off the playoff rounds Sunday morning as the Top 4 squads from each group will begin with the quarter-finals.
The winners there will move on to the semifinals while the remaining two teams will vie for the championship at 5:30 p.m., to close out the tourney.
Kings’ Kitchener Blueline Tournament page
BIG PUMPKIN RESULTS
This past weekend the U13 Kings took part in the 30-team Big Pumpkin Tournament in Rochester, Minn.
In all, Thunder Bay wrapped up play there with a 1-3-0 overall record.
Oct. 30: vs. Osseo-Maple Grove Orioles – Scoreless through two periods, Osseo-Maple Grove erupted for five unanswered tallies in the final frame to pull out a 5-0 victory.
Three straight special teams goals broke it open for the Orioles, including the game-winner while shorthanded, before tacking on four in the last five minutes, featuring two via the power play, and a couple at even strength.
Finn Carrithers posted the shutout for OMG.
Oct. 30: vs. Rochester Mustangs – Rochester scored twice in each frame and skated away with a 6-3 triumph.
Paisley McTavish, Jameson Falvo and Kinley Comber supplied the goals for the Kings, with Falvo, Cooper Gannon, Liam Towell and Sebastian Minnella picking up assists.
Oct. 31: vs. Rogers Royals – A four-goal second period outburst led Thunder Bay to their initial win, by a 6-1 count over the Royals.
Asher Williamson and Ben Timko staked the squad to a 2-0 lead after one.
Luca Minnela, with a pair, helped pace the attack from there while Gannon and Jack Figliomeni supplied singles.
Max Massaro earned the victory in net, stopping 28 of the 29 shots fired his way.
Nov. 1: vs. West Fargo Stampede – The Kings let an early 2-0 lead slip away before eventually falling 6-4 to the Stampede.
Falvo notched the initial marker for Thunder Bay then set-up Hudson French to put them up by two.
West Fargo countered with two of their own before McTavish put the Kings back on top.
However, the Stampede banged in back-to-back markers to take the lead.
McTavish did knot the score on a man advantage with 9:50 to go, only to see West Fargo complete the comeback with a couple of late efforts to secure the result.
Elijah Lies led the way for the Stampede with six points, featuring a hat trick.
The next out of town action for the U13 Kings will be the Northern Ontario Hockey League Showcase, Nov. 12-15, in Sault Ste. Marie.
Photo credit: James Mirabelli
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