Apr 03, 2014 | Louie Volpe | 974 views
Stouffville Peewee AEs defuse TNT in final
The Stouffville Peewee AE Clippers captured the York SImcoe minor hockey championship by defeating TNT in their first-to-six point final series that concluded with a 3-1 win in Stouffville Saturday.
With the game knotted at 1-1 late in the third period, the Clippers took the lead for good with a goal by Christopher Leinwand with 55 seconds remaining in regulation time. Nathan Tratnik put the game and series on ice for the Clippers with an empty-net goal with just 38 seconds remaining.
Mathieu Kovac opened the scoring for the Clippers. Tim Arnold and Ryan Cusack each earned one assist.
After suffering a 4-3 loss in the series opener in Stouffville March 18, the Clippers came back just three days later to even the series with a 3-0 road win. Leinwand scored a pair of goals and had one assist while Kovac scored a goal and earned two helpers. Jack Valleau and Tranik collected one assist apiece. Ethan Volpe stopped every shot directed his way to record the shutout.
With the series returning to Stouffville, The Clippers got a goal from Nick Olidis with just two minutes remaining in regulation time to emerge with a hard fought 2-1 win and take a two games to one lead. Trailing 1-0 in the game, the Clippers tied the game in the second period with an unassisted goal by Jacob Turney. Cusack earned an assist on Olids' marker. Evan Farrell played a solid game in goal to help preserve the win for the Clippers.
Returning to Alliston for the forth game, the two clubs battled to a 0-0 tie. Volpe was credited with the shutout for the Clippers. That set the stage for the series finale. Leinwand accounted for all 3 goals for the Clippers in the series opening loss. Jack Boston earned two assists while Cusack, Liam Sitlani and Michael Creeggan each had one.
Finishing the regular season in second place and sporting the best goals against average in the York Simcoe division with a 1.79 average, the Clippers enjoyed a season in which they won the Guelph Power Play Tournament and were finalists in a tournament in Rochester and reached the quarter-finals in the Ontario Minor Hockey Association play downs before losing to Stoney Creek.
Coached by Brad Boston, Mark Turney and Aniel Sitlani, other team members included: forwards Mitchell Risto, Robert Hume and Bradon Smith and defenceman Franco Minaudo. Joey Kovac served as trainer.