THUNDER BAY – A Cash Comeau tally late in regulation lifted the Thunder Bay under-13 Kings to a 4-3 victory over the Kenora Thistles Sunday in the third and deciding game of the Hockey Northwestern Ontario U13 AAA District Championship at the Moncrief Construction Sports Centre in Kenora.
Meanwhile, the Thistles claimed the U18 title Sunday after downing Thunder Bay 7-3 in another best-of-three set that went the distance.
U13 action saw the Kings win 4-3 in the opener Friday, before the home side rebounded to take the second by a 5-2 count, setting up Sunday’s finale.
Thunder Bay will now gear up to compete in the All-Ontario U13 AAA Championship, April 9-13, in Sudbury.
In U18 play, the Kings prevailed 3-2 in overtime to claim Game 1, only to see Kenora respond with a 4-3 triumph in Game 2, before capping off the comeback.
However, as the Thistles are hosting the TELUS Cup West Regional, Thunder Bay will take part as the HNO rep in that four-team event, which goes April 3-6, back in Kenora.
Joining them will be two of either the Brandon Wheat Kings; Winnipeg Wild; Regina Pat Canadians or Moose Jaw Winmar Warriors.
Winnipeg bounced Brandon 6-1 to commence Manitoba’s best-of-five final while Regina skated to a narrow 2-1 victory over Moose Jaw to begin a best-of-five series that will determine a U18 AAA champion in Saskatchewan.
Of note, with no challenger in the U15 HNO playdowns, that Kings’ squad have advanced directly to the All-Ontario U15 AAA event, which goes April 9-13, in Markham.
Also, the Thunder Bay under-16 Kings season came to a close Monday morning after they were humbled 9-0 by the Toronto Marlboros in an OHL Cup Wildcard Game, that sees the Marlies move on to compete in the 20-team showcase tournament that runs through Friday.
Toronto struck three times in just over a two-minute span late in the first period, including once while shorthanded, to take command, in cruising to the win.
Photo courtesy Hockey Northwestern Ontario
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