Jr. Stars shutout Woodstock, 3-0, in final for an undefeated run
April 17, 2023
St. Thomas Jr Stars, Alliance Hockey Constellation U10 champions, from left, are - goalies Alex Annett, Noah Menlove, first row - Tye Thompson, Brooke Gustavson, James Hentz, Lincoln McLellan, Malcolm Travis, Jake Wilkinson, Mason Friesen, Oscar Moore; second row - Matthew Adzija, Colin Kocsis, Colton Rundle, Carter Gosnell, Jack Groeneweg, Willy Roke, Dominic Nieman. Coaches Joe Hentz, Troy Travis, Ryan Roke. (photo / St. Thomas Jr Stars)
By Rob J. Ross
BRANTFORD, Ont. - St. Thomas Jr Stars are Alliance Hockey Constellation U10 AA champions.
Three third period goals lifted the Jr. Stars to a 3-0 shutout of the Woodstock Jr Navy Vets in the final, this afternoon at the Gretzky Sports Centre.
"It started with the countdown and then just throwing the equipment everywhere and jumping on each other," Stars coach Troy Travis said. "Just pure joy."
Tye Thompson, Malcolm Travis and Mason Friesen scored, while Brooke Gustavson picked up two assists.
Goalie Noah Menlove picked up the shutout. Backup keeper Alex Annett spotted Menlove for 51 seconds in the third period, after Menlove skated to the bench celebrating the Stars' second goal.
"Everything we had been practicing all year seemed to come together this weekend. We have the hardest back checking team, so other teams have trouble scoring off the rush," Travis said. "Lots of players played their best games of the season and some that had been quiet for a while, came back to playing great for this final tournament."
St. Thomas went 4-0 over the three day championship tournament.
The Jr. Stars got rolling by downing the host Brantford 99ers, 7-3, after trailing 3-1, in the second period of game one of three round robin games.
Three consecutive power play goals turned game in the Stars' favour. Gustavson had a hat trick, scoring once on the power play and while shorthanded. Thompson, Travis, Colton Rundle and Oscar Moore, rounded out the scoring.
Travis, Friesen, Moore and Gustavson netted pucks in a 4-2 win over London Jr. Knights Green.
Jack Groeneweg, Rundle, Thompson, Travis and Gustavson, with two goals, bulged twine during a 6-1 rout of Woodstock.
For the tournament, Gustavson led St. Thomas with six goals and three assists for nine points. Friesen had two goals and five assists and Travis, four goals and an assist.
"It feels awesome to win this tournament," said Gustavson. "Our team worked so hard all year. We only lost a few games this season and this team means a lot to me, so I was happy to contribute this weekend. We got pucks out at our blue line, made good hard passes and buried the pucks."
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