Local teams own peewee division

BY MICHAEL SOMMA

Forced to take the long road to the final after being knocked into the consolation bracket by the Lakeshore Tigers last Wednesday, the Peewee BB D.D.O Pirates would need to win four games in four consecutive days if they were to take home the regional championship. But after dispatching the Lakeshore Panthers and twice beating the rival Tigers, they overcame the odds to earn the opportunity to do so.

Three quick goals midway through the first period proved to be all D.D.O would need, as they cruised to a 7-2 victory over the Suroît TGV.

The Pirates' strength lay in the back line, starting with goaltender Mark Michaels, who held off the TGV long enough to allow his team to jump out in front. He was helped by defensemen Jordan Roberts and Kevin Maldonado who did a good job of managing the game in front of him. John Banks and Jake Saxe led the offensive charge, combining for three goals.

Suroît proved particularly strong in the Peewee age bracket, as their AA squad also found itself in the final, this time facing the Deux Rives Dolphins. After dropping just three games all season, the Suroît Express entered the game confident but were quickly brought down to earth after a flurry of activity around their net in the opening minutes.

Though small in stature, Deux Rives proved that skill and speed can triumph over size and strength on their way to earning a 5-1 victory.

Captain William Carrier chipped in a goal and an assist while leading from defence, where he could frequently be seen directing teammates. He controlled the tempo of the game when on the ice, slowing it down and speeding it up as he desired. His spectacular effort on an end-to-end rush in the second period resulted in what amounted to the championship winning goal.

The line of David Milner, David Marmen and Daniel Sprong collectively scored three goals and hemmed the Express deep in their own territory for long stretches of time. Sprong’s two third period goals sealed the victory and the team added an empty netter for good measure.

All four teams qualify for the Dodge Cup provincial championships to be held in the Saguenay Lac St-Jean/Côte Nord region. The Peewee BB tournament will be in Forestville while the AA squads will be playing in nearby Jonquière.