The U11 Georgian Shores Lightning won the Tier 3 Ontario Minor Hockey Association championship, held in Kingston, April 4-6.
It was a thrilling weekend of hockey for the U11 Georgian Shores Lightning team as they travelled to Kingston to compete in the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) championship, and emerged victorious as tournament champions.
The action kicked off on Friday, April 4, with a hard-fought 5-4 victory against the South Huron Sabres. Saturday saw the team face off against the Halton Hills Thunder, where Georgian Shores dominated with an 8-1 victory. Later that day, they faced off against the Bruce Peninsula Predators, where a tight match ended in the Lightning’s favour with a 3-2 victory. That drive carried them into Sunday’s semifinal, where they defeated the Bancroft Jets 3-1 to secure their spot in the championship game.
In the championship game, Georgian Shores squared off against the Huron Bruce Blizzards. Huron Bruce struck first with a goal in the second period, but Georgian Shores came alive late in the second with a stunning stretch pass to quick wheels and smooth hands to tie the game at one. The momentum turned and the Lightning continued to crash the net and get two more unanswered goals, for a 3-1 victory.
The stands were packed with hometown fans and many supported from afar thanks to live streaming; the cheers echoed through the arena as the final buzzer sounded.
It was an electric finish to an unforgettable tournament, and the players were thrilled to bring the red hats and the first Georgian Shores championship title home to Meaford and Thornbury.
