Major Peewee Petes on a roll
Improve to 3-0 with a 5-3 win over Huron-Perth Lakers; finals Sunday afternoon
The Peterborough Billy Smith Sells Major Peewee Petes are putting things together so far at the Boston Pizza IceFest AAA Hockey Tournament.
The Petes improved to 3-0 with a 5-3 win over the HuronPerth Lakers at the Evinrude Centre on Friday afternoon. They also faced the Upper Canada Cyclones Friday night at 8:30 p.m. to conclude pool play. A result was not available at press time.
Longtime minor hockey coach Scott Donato took over the talented group of players this season and says it’s been an adjustment period.
After four years under coach Matt Bowen, Donato is introducing new systems and it’s taken some time to adapt, he said, pointing to their 4-3-2 regular season record. They reached the consolation final of the Toronto Red Wings Tournament last month going 3-2-1.
Donato said the development focus changes as players move up in age and at major peewee and higher more emphasis is put on structure and team play.
“Any time there is major change, no different than when I’ve taken other age groups over, we’ve changed a lot of how we play,” Donato said.
“There is always going to be an adjustment period and we are in that adjustment period. We’ve changed a lot of things they haven’t done in the past, not that it’s right or wrong, but we’re trying to prepare them for the next four years and their draft year. We’re worried about our own team structure rather than wins or losses right now.”
Donato brought in three new staff members in Brad Baker, Brian Hignett and Mike Lytle while retaining assistant coach Rob Fitzgerald. He made three roster changes including one on defence and two at forward.
Stringing three wins together is an encouraging sign as consistency has been an issue, so far, he said. It’s a talented group but they are coming to an age where talent alone isn’t enough to win.
“I love this group’s skillset and I love their natural instincts in the offensive zone, but we have a lot to work on,” Donato said.
“Their skill won them a lot of games rather than work ethic. When you get older it has to be both. We’re starting to see a bit of that.”
Five different players tallied for the Petes against HuronPerth including Colin Fitzgerald, Hudson Armstrong, Grayden Jones, Chayse Scott and Calum Couch. Brayden Boughton had two assists with singles to Zach Russelle, Nathan Gerelus, Drew Calderwood, Ben Bowen, Cohen Bidgood and Reed Chamberlain. Bowen fired a hat trick in a 5-1 win over Sudbury’s Nickel City Sons on Thursday night. Fitzgerald scored three in a 5-2 win over the Ottawa Valley Titans in their opening game.
The Petes next action will be in the playoffs on Saturday afternoon. The opponent, location and time are to be determined.
The Peterborough Sharps Performance Major Bantam Petes beat the Chatham-Kent Cyclones 2-0 to improve to 1-1 on Friday. They played the Ontario
Hockey Academy Mavericks Friday night. A result was not available at press time. They conclude pool play at 11 a.m. Saturday against the Brantford 99ers at the Evinrude Centre.
The Peterborough Ben Smith Sells Minor Bantam Petes sit at 0-3 after losing 3-2 to the Lambton Sting and 3-0 to Chatham-Kent on Friday. They will play Ottawa Myers 9:45 a.m. Saturday at the Evinrude.
The 37-team, three-division tournament continues Saturday at the Evinrude Centre, Kinsmen Civic Centre and Asphodel-Norwood Community Centre. Action concludes Sunday with finals at 1:30 p.m. (peewee), 3:15 p.m. (minor bantam) and 5:15 p.m. (major bantam) at the Evinrude Centre.