The minor midget Lambton AAA team got the year started over the weekend in the Toronto Titans AAA tournament. The teams first game was vs the Guelph Gryphons. Guelph got off to a quick start scoring the first goal of the game but the Jr Sting were not going to sit back and watch and quickly added two of there own. The first goal of the year came from Nick Steeves assisted by Cameron Ware and Joel Stover. Nolan Degurse scored the second of the game assisted by Elijah Duquette and Carson Perry. Guelph would get one back tying it up at 2, before taking a 3-2 lead by the end of the second.
Lambton would then take turns going in on breakaways: first Degurse, then Zach Moore and Kyle Kachan. Unfortunately for the Sting none of the three could beat Guelphs goalie. The Sting would eventually fall 3-2 in their first game of the year.
In the second game of the tournament the Sting faced the Mississauge Senators. The Senators would eventually go 4-0 in the round robin only allowing 5 goals against. Nolan Degurse would prove to all that the senators could indeed be scored against as he split the defence, went in alone, and exploded the senators goalies water bottle with a beautiful backhand. Nick Steeves would assist on the lone goal as the Sting fell 6-1.
Lambton went into game number 3 vs the Markham Majors with a very short bench due to injury. The 12 man bench would not give up without a fight though. Carson Perry fired a puck from the corner which bounced off the goalie and went in for the Stings lone goal. Lambtons goalie Andrew Maclean stood on his head saving 33 of 36 shots in the 3-1 defeat.
Game 4 found a tired Lambton Sting team up against the York Simcoe Express, the game got away from Lambton early and they never could find there way back. The Sting did find the net on the Powerplay with a goal from Cole Clements assisted by Nolan Degurse and Ayden Letang. With a short bench once again and penalty trouble the Sting found themelves on the wrong side of a 9-1 finish.
All in all the boys had a great effort over the weekend in an extremely difficult tournament.(24 teams finished with 1 win or less, 11 teams finishing with 0 wins) This tournament is tough to begin with let alone with a short bench, but this will only make us better in the long run! We look forward to the season opener next Saturday vs Windsor!