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Jon Kuiperij Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Sports HALTON TRANSMISSION "Connected to your Community" 559 SPEERS RD., #UNIT 3 905-842-0725 www.haltontransmission.com 19 | Thursday, January 2, 2014 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Rangers Red edges Blue in all-Oakville minor peewee final Players rivals on the ice, friends off it by Jon Kuiperij Beaver Sports Editor I n theory, Oakville minor peewee AA Rangers Blue is not supposed to beat Oakville minor peewee AA Rangers Red. But that doesn't stop Rangers Blue from trying. Rangers Red survived a stiff challenge from its in-town rivals Sunday at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex, needing late goals from Sean Guerin and Chase Strychaluk to defeat Rangers Blue 6-4 in the first all-Oakville final in the 21-year history of the Richard Bell Memorial hockey tournament. This year marks the pilot program for a Minor Oaks Hockey Association initiative that saw the association move many of its rep teams up a division after winning five Ontario Minor Hockey Association additional entry (AE) titles last year. Rangers AE teams moved up to the A division in all age groups but minor peewee, where the A team moved up to AA. The Rangers Red team was selected ahead of the Rangers Blue in all instances where the MOHA ices two teams in one division. Rangers Red -- OMHA Aaron Mahoney champion a year ago -- has Rangers Red minor peewee AA coach picked up where it left off, leading the Tri-County Minor Hockey League with a 25-1 record. The bigger surprise has been Rangers Blue, in second place in the TCMHL with a 16-3-6 mark. "It's phenomenal to get a win in the Richard Bell," said Rangers Red coach Aaron Mahoney. "But I was also very proud of Oakville Blue, the way they battled. It's probably the hardest they've fought us (in three meetings this season, with Rangers Red winning league contests 5-0 and 5-1). But our guys really dug down and pulled the win out." Though Rangers Blue opened the scoring early on a goal by Blake Adams, Rangers Red controlled much of the play in the first two periods and built a 4-2 lead by the midpoint of the contest. Rangers Blue battled back to tie the game by The Oakville Rangers Red and Blue minor peewee AA teams gather for a group photo Sunday after meeting in the final of the Richard Bell Memorial hockey tournament at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex. Rangers Red downed Rangers Blue 6-4. | photo submitted It's phenomenal to get a win... but I was also very proud of Oakville Blue. the second intermission, however, on a pair of goals by Tyler son for us is, every game you don't know whether you'll win McLeish. or lose. It pushes them to a higher level. We've seen a remarkWith a potential overtime period looming late in the third able change in the boys' development levels," Adams said. period, Guerin broke the 4-4 deadlock with a top-corner shot "We spent a lot of last year looking for games, looking for from close range, completing a hat trick. Strychaluk later good competition. It was hard to find AA teams we could added his third of the contest into an empty net. play. Talking to parents last year, everyone was pretty keen "My linemate (Christopher Parsons) passed it to me and to move up. If it meant playing .500 hockey, everyone was I just shot it and it went in," said Guerin, an 11-year-old St. fine with that." Matthew elementary school student who was swarmed after Jack Talbot also scored in the final for Rangers Blue, which the game by proud family members visiting from Sudbury earned its spot in the title game with a 2-1 upset of the Misand Montreal. sissauga Braves. "I feel good that we won, but (Rangers Blue) had a really Rangers Red won all six of its games at the tournament, good game. They almost beat us." with its other wins coming over the Burlington Bulldogs (8Following the game, opposing players hugged each other, 1), Mississauga Terriers (2-0), Ajax Knights (7-1), Guelph Jr. then gathered together at centre ice for a group photo be- Gryphons (7-0) and Whitby Wildcats (3-1). fore saluting the crowd by lifting their sticks in the air. Both Joining Guerin, Strychaluk and Parons on the Rangers Red Mahoney and Rangers Blue coach Barry Adams agreed the squad are Aidan O'Sullivan, Ethan Harkins, Nicholas Legasnew rivalry between the two Oakville squads has been both pi, Dante Stevenson, Ryan Jeffrey, Liam Mahoney, Dawson competitive and healthy. Maloney, Colin Flurey, Adam Clark, James Passafiume, Ja"Some of the kids are best friends. They go to school to- mie Langill, Jacob Caravaggio, Tyler Ford and Adam Zedor. gether, play baseball and lacrosse and soccer together. Some Paul Jeffrey and David Langill are assistant coaches, Peter of their players were on this team, and some guys on my team O'Sullivan is the trainer and Stanley Caravaggio is the manplayed on that team a few years ago," said Mahoney. ager. "They still maintain their friendships, even when they play a tough, hard game," Adams added. "It's something pretty special. It's exactly the way we hoped it would work." Adams said Rangers Blue players and parents were receptive to moving up a division this year, even if it potentially meant being the second-best minor peewee AA team in town. Shari's Fashion House offers women's Designer and Name brand purses, shoes and boots at well below "The best thing of this searetail prices. 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