The
Brampton 45’s Midget AAA team captured the Burlington Cogeco Golden Horse Shoe
tournament over the holidays with a perfect 7-0-0 run!
After completing their round robin portion of the tournament as top seed with victories against the Mississauga Rebels, Quinte Red Devils, Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs, Mississauga Senators and the Toronto Marlboros the Brampton squad would face a very determined Richmond Hill Coyotes team in Wednesday’s Semi Final match-up.
Richmond Hill would jump out to a quick two goal lead with a pair of goals just 4 minutes apart midway through the opening frame. Brampton would even the score at 2-2 in the second with just under a minute left in the period on a pair of goals 8 minutes apart from Zachary Lyons assisted by Jack Jacome (2) and Zac Vukosa.
Bailey Molella would provide Brampton with their first lead at 10:42 of the final period assisted by Liam Winslow but Richmond Hill wasn’t about to quit and tied the score again with just under 6 minutes remaining. Jack Jacome and Zac Vukosa would combine to provide Brampton with their second lead of the game with just less than 5 minutes remaining but again Richmond Hill would answer back and send the game into overtime.
Brampton would begin the overtime frame on a power play and it didn’t take very long, just 0:42 secs in when Zachary Lyons completed his hat trick unassisted to send Brampton into the Final.
Brampton would face a familiar opponent in the final game, the Halton Hurricanes, the two teams have met each other three times so far in regular season play with Brampton holding a significant edge however there was no doubt that with the stakes elevated both teams would need to bring their A games in order to be successful.
The opening period was an even battle with neither team able to gain much of an advantage. Early in the middle frame Halton would strike quickly with two goals a minute apart and Brampton would find themselves back in familiar territory. Battling hard and supported by an acrobatic save from Brampton net minder Billy Day to deny Halton a third marker Cordell Bujold-Abu would score a shorthanded goal for Brampton at 11:14 assists going to Matthew Magliozzi and Jake Payette. The teams would head to the dressing room at the end of the second with Halton enjoying a 2-1 lead.
The 45’s showing their resolve would increase their intensity in the 3rd period and at 6:06 would be rewarded for their efforts when Zachary Lyons would tie the score at 2-2 with assists going to Jacome and Anthony Santos. The remainder of regulation time would not solve anything and for the second time that day Brampton was headed for sudden death overtime
As expected the overtime was end to end action, both teams competing hard with and without the puck, with just under 2 minutes remaining in the first overtime period Jack Jacome unassisted would seal the championship win for Brampton with a difficult wrap around goal.