Midget AA Ice Kats runners-up at Buffalo tourney
The Peterborough Kings Auto Wreckers Midget AA Ice Kat hockey team competed with 15 other hockey teams over the weekend in the Buffalo Rush Inferno hockey tournament, going undefeated in six games to qualify for the gold medal game against Aurora.
In the first game of round-robin play, the Cornwall Typhoons were up 2-0 at the end of the first, before the Ice Kats scored on the power play, even strength, and shorthanded to take a 3-2 lead into the third period. Cornwall scored midway through the third period and the game ended in a 3-3 tie.
In the Friday afternoon game, Peterborough played a strong game in shutting out the Syracuse Nationals 6-0.
The Ice Kats continued their strong play on Saturday morning with a 5-1 victory over the Perinton Edge team from Rochester.
In their final round robin game on Saturday afternoon, Peterborough skated to a 3-1 win over the hometown Buffalo Bisons. The win put the Ice Kats in first place in their pool.
In the quarter-final game Saturday night, the Ice Kats faced stiff competition from Team Illinois. The Ice Kats scored once on the powerplay and finished off with an empty net goal to earn a hard fought 4-1 win.
In the semi-final game Sunday morning against the Buffalo Regals, the game was tied 3-3 late in the third period when the Ice Kats mounted a strong forecheck and notched the winner with 2:36 left, advancing them to the final Sunday afternoon.
Playing in their seventh game in three days, the Midget AA Ice Kats battled hard all game against a strong Aurora Panthers team, but fell 2-0 in the finals.
Scoring for the Ice Kats were Sydney Paulson (5), Kate Taylor (4), Grace Adie-Berube (3), Alicia Wake (2), Abby Cassidy (2), Skylar McArthur (2), Lauren Bell (2), Hannah Kawalec (2), Taylor McArthur, Emilie Roberts and Alana Jentas. Madeline O’NeillHawthorne, Danielle MacDowall and Amelia Lackie assisted on Ice Kat goals.
Peterborough had strong goaltending from Maddie Roche and Amanda Storey during the tournament.