Feb 20, 2013 | Todd Rannie | 1991 views
Ann Arbor Trip
The Lambton Shores Predators Novice Rep team travelled to Ann Arbor Michigan to play in the Ursa Minor Big Bear Tournament. The trip was an experience to remember for many reasons, as it was the first international tourney for most of the players and a long 3 night stay in the hotel.
We played 4 games against 3 different teams and competed in all of them. We played Colombus Ohio twice, St. Thomas, On and Canton Victory Honda from Michigan. The highlight game of the weekend had to be the Saturday night game at the Yost Arena, home of the University of Michigan Wolverines Hockey Team. Playing in a historic building filled with delerious fans, the team played their best hockey of the weekend and came away with an exciting 2-1 victory. Ben Crazy Legs George opened the scoring from Eric Big Bird Burget and Adam Tich Tichenoff and Ryan The Bull Vaughan scored the game winner on a great individual effort. Ethan Pipes Everaert held the fort in the Preds net to ensure the victory.
Sunday morning the team played the eventual champions from Canton, Mi and played a close game that could have went either way, until a very questionable non-call on a player interfering with Hayley Comet Millar that led to a breakaway goal and the final score of 3-1.
All the games were close and well played except maybe the Monday morning game where we looked like we had stayed in a hotel for 3 nights. The team played well despite the fact that they were one player short with Ty Broken Bone Rannie out for the entire tournament.
Ryan Richie Richardson led the team this weekend with 3 markers, including a highlight reel top shelfer that left the goalie in awe. Comet Millar added 2 assists, while Bryce Laker Stanlake and Ty Bomb Wright notched single assists. All of the defense registered an assist this weekend as well as doing a steller job on the defensive side of the game.
After our last game, some of the players went over to the Arctic Coliseum to watch the Atom Reps in the Championship final. It was an exciting game and great to see the Preds as champions!! Congratulations to our brothers and sisters on the Atom team. After that about 40 people from both teams were treated to an inside tour of Michigan Stadium, home of the football Wolverines, the largest football stadium in North America. We were able to tour the private suites, the press boxes, the banquet hall and the Wolverines dressing room. Then the kids were allowed down the tunnel and onto the field and immediatly divided up into teams and played an impromto game of football on the same field where many of the greatest players in the game have played. Memories to last a lifetime for sure.