Brantford Ice Cats captured the U-15A championship after defeating the Kingston Ice Wolves 5-0 in the final of the Walter Gretzky Tournament on Sunday, February 26, 2023.
Both teams came out strong at the beginning of the first and the Ice Wolves received a penalty right out of the gate in the opening minute. The two teams traded for the majority of the first five minutes before the Ice Cats received their first penalty shortly after the seven-minute mark and Brantford’s Blair Matthews made a shorthanded goal. The Ice Wolves received a double minor penalty at 4:22 into the first and Brantford’s Matthews scored another powerplay bringing the score 2-0.
Moving into the second the Ice Wolves put the pressure into the offensive zone but the Ice Cats defenders continued to stop the Kingston team from making their goal. Brantford’s Brooklyn Wright attempted a slap shot but couldn’t make it passed Kingston’s goalie. Each team received a penalty in the next four minutes and Brantford’s Reese Coughlin scored a goal just as the powerplay ended and brought the score 3-0.
During the third, Brantford’s Matthews scored her third goal of the game two minutes in. The Ice Wolves worked hard to put the pressure in the offesnsive zone but the hometown team proved they meant business as they scored another goal by Alexia Karmiris just before the last minute of the period and winning the game 5-0.
Ice Cats Blair Matthews and Ice Wolves Elsa Carrier were awarded the player of the game awards for each of their teams.
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
