Olds wins 2017 Bantam Chinooks tournament

First place - Olds Grizzlys

Third place - Airdrie Lightning

Pincher Voice honourable mention - RMAA Renegades

Chris Davis -  Pincher Creek's Bantam Chinooks hosted their home invitational tournament last weekend at the Memorial Community Centre Arena.  Six teams participated, including the Chinooks, Okotoks Oilers, Innisfail Flyers, RMAA Renegades (Carstairs area), Airdrie Lightning, and Olds Grizzlys.  After a total of 11 games, the Grizzlys earned first place and the Chinooks earned second place.  The Lightning edged the Renegades for third place with a game-deciding goal at only half a second left on the third period clock.  With the exception of games involving the Grizzlys, the teams were very closely matched throughout the tournament.  The Grizzlys dominated all their games with the exception of game 9 against the Lightning, which the Grizzlys still won 3-1.

Tournament results:

Game 1 - Flyers 5, Oilers 4

Game 2 - Chinooks 10, Renegades 3

Game 3 - Grizzys 7, Oilers 1

Game 4 - Lightning 4, Flyers 1

Game 5 - Grizzlys 8, Chinooks 4

Game 6 - Renegades 2, Lightning 1

Game 7 - Chinooks 8, Flyers 5

Game 8 - Renegades 4, Oilers 1

Game 9 - Grizzlys 3, Lightning 1

Game 10 for 3rd - Lightning 2, Renegades 1

Game 11 for 1st and 2nd - Grizzlys 10, Chinooks 4

Final games recap

Airdrie's Lightning and the RMAA Renegades faced each other for the second time in the game to decide third place on Sunday afternoon.  The Lightning played the game before the consolation, a tough one it was too, a 1-3 loss against the Grizzlys. When the Lightning and Renegades met previously on Saturday afternoon the Renegades won 2-1.  This time the tables were turned.  Lightning's Nicholas Kim scored the first goal of the game at the 16:01 mark of the first period, assisted by Kaden Wright and Jacob Jungen.  That went unanswered until the 11:49 mark of the second period, when the Renegades' Jesse Schmidt tied it up, assisted by Logan Bednarz and Colton Franke.  Despite lots of back and forth action, there was no further scoring for the rest of the second and through almost all of the third.  It seemed an overtime period was going to be necessary as the clock ran out with the teams tied at 1-1, until Cayden Hauk of the Lightning scored, unassisted, with half a second left on the clock.  This is why your coaches tell you to never give up.  2-1 Lightning for third.  A Pincher Creek Voice unofficial Honourable Mention for the Renegades.

When they last met, on Saturday afternoon, the Grizzlys defeated the Chinooks 8-4.  While not quite a replay of that game, the results were similar in the final game of the tournament to decide first and second place.  The Grizzlys dominated the first two periods.  The Chinooks had a better third period, according to the score sheet, scoring twice compared to three for the Grizzlys, but two Chinooks game misconducts in that final period may hurt the team going into Provincial playdowns.  By midway through the second period the Chinooks seemed to be rattled, and it hurt them.  The Grizzlys won it 10-4, earning first place.  Dillon Stevenson scored twice for the Chinooks.  Also scoring for the Chinooks were Logan Deley and Sam Jordan. Earning assists were Abigail Cryderman and Jayden Scotton.  Cryderman was also named Chinooks MVP for the game. Tivyn Pinkerton scored four goals for the Grizzlys and earned an assist.  Noll Van Den Bosch scored twice, as did Dawson Laflammee. Dylan Ellis scored once, earned two assists, and was Grizzlys MVP for the game.  Tarer Niehoff also scored for the Grizzlys.  John Kjorsvik and Thomas Houston earned two assists each. Also earning assists were Brandon Talbott, Aiden Morgan, Logan Ferner, and Brandon Talbot. Chinooks goalie Wes Krampe faced 50 shots and Grizzlys goalie faced 22 shots.

The Bantam Chinooks have a home-ice Provincials playdown game against Crowsnest Pass Thunder on Tuesday evening, January 24, starting at 7:15 pm at the MCC Arena.  On Friday evening January 27 they will play the second game in that series  at the Coleman rink. starting at 6:45.