Markham marches past Thunder Bay in U13 provincial opener

THUNDER BAY – Colton Cribari scored once and dished out three assists while Dylan Sack turned aside all 22 shots he faced to post the shutout as the Markham Major went on to drop the Thunder Bay Kings 9-0 Wednesday in the opening game of the All-Ontario under-13 AAA hockey championship at the Fort William Gardens.

A fast-paced opening frame, saw the Greater Toronto Hockey League-champion Majors open the soring at 5:37 when Maddon Walsh chipped a play over to Antonio Schiavo, who wheeled into the slot and roofed one on Kings’ netminder Kainaan Macgillivray.

Action in the second stanza saw Markham extend their lead when Jack Samek sent a crisp cross-ice pass across to Joseph Fenwick who promptly whipped it in from the slot.

Adding another, the visitors’ Justin Boudreau fired a shot that the Kings’ goalkeeper could not quite control, which allowed Cam Johnson to shovel it into left corner.

The Majors power play then went to work when Oliver Iemma neatly deflected one in while parked in front.

Not done there, Shane Roche connected from close range at 10:48.

A fifth in the period saw Markham strike shorthanded in the waning moments of the frame as Cribari took a drop pass from Samek and buried his chance.

In the final frame, the GTHL side saw Fenwick and Iemma connect in rapid succession while Boudreau finished off the one-sided result.

Iemma also picked up the Majors player of the game award while Macgillivray was recognized for the Kings.

Both clubs are back at it later today with Markham meeting the Ottawa Valley Titans a 4 p.m., while Thunder Bay takes on the Kenora Thistles at 7 p.m.

Photo credit: James Mirabelli