Amherst Mite Minor 'AAA' Knights crowned champions of Wayne Gretzky hockey tourney

The Amherst Mite Minor 'AAA' Knights defeated the West London Hawks, 6-5, in overtime to win the Minor Novice division of the 37th annual Wayne Gretzky International Hockey Tournament held Dec. 27-29. Members of the team, pictured from left, are: center, Caleb Hannon; first row - Nate Berke, Mark Gilbert, Joey Marchese, Frankie Sciolino, Carson Briere, Devin Kasperek, Jordan Martin; second row - Camden Lock, Jack Kelly, Colton McKenna, Matt Slick, Ryan Sidorski, Blake Flanders, Adam Batz; third row - Walter Gretzky, manager John Martin and coaches Mark Berke, Jay Kochan, and John Hannon; missing from photo - coach Dave Kasperek and manager Dave Flanders.

Amherst's Mite Minor "AAA" travel hockey team traveled to Brantford, Ont., the birthplace of hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, to earn the championship title in the Minor Novice division of the prestigious 37th annual Wayne Gretzky International Hockey Tournament. The tournament was held December 27-29.

The Knights proved that with top-notch coaching and skilled players, an American team can dominate against strong Canadian teams. Amherst was 5-0 in tournament play and entered the championship game having allowed only four goals.

Amherst 6, West London 5 (OT)

The Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre was the site of the Minor Novice championship game which took place Dec. 29 between the Amherst Mite Minor "AAA" Knights and the West London Hawks.

The West London Hawks entered the Gretzky Tournament as an undefeated team but entered the finals bruised from an loss Amherst handed them in an earlier tournament match-up.

Both teams entered the championship game with something to prove. Amherst had two finalist performances in earlier tournaments this season and was eager to win the championship title. West London came prepared to avenge its loss to Amherst. West London defeated the higher-seeded Kitchener Rangers, 4-1, in its semifinal match-up to advance to the finals.

The intensity was on the ice and in the air as the two teams faced off on the Gretzky Blue rink. Less than two minutes in, Jack Kelly gave the Knights an early lead with a nice backhanded shot off a rebound by linemate Nate Berke. Amherst goalie Caleb Hannon was sharp in net as he made several saves during the period to hold the Knights' 1-0 lead, including a pop-fly glove save late in the period.

In the second period, West London took full advantage of two power play advantages as Max Griffioen and Brandon Oliver each earned a tally for West London. The period ended 2-1 in favor of West London.

At 1:08 into the third, Blake Flanders assisted as Berke scored a goal off a deflection to tie the game at 2-2. However, less than one minute later, Griffioen earned a goal to reclaim West London's lead. West London kept the pressure on the Knights as the Hawks earned consecutive goals by Nicholas Suzuki and Caleb Shhyvenaars.

With only eight minutes remaining in the game, Amherst was down 5-2. However, the Knights regrouped to fight back and earn the title. With 6:39 remaining, linemates Berke and Camden Lock and defenseman Devin Kasperek teamed up for a power-play goal which Berke earned on a low shot from the far side.

Amherst's Adam Batz went on a breakaway but his shot was blocked by the impressive West London netminder. However, Berke received a pass from Kelly and lifted a backhanded shot over his waffle. Berke's goal registered with only 3:56 remaining in regulation play to pull Amherst within one goal of West London.

Amherst sent sharpshooters Colton McKenna, Lock and Carson Briere into battle with the hope that they could tie up the game. The trio battled hard in a scrum in front of West London's net and with four seconds remaining in the third, McKenna scored the tying goal to send it to overtime.

Three minutes were placed on the clock for a four on four sudden-death overtime period. The Knights called on attackers Berke, McKenna, Batz and defender Matt Slick to get the job done early in the overtime period.

After a quick line change, Batz was teamed with Kelly and Carson Briere to continue the Amherst attack. With 41 seconds remaining in the first overtime, Kelly scored off his own rebound to capture the championship title, 6-5.

Berke's second hat trick of the tournament earned him Most Valuable Player honors of the championship game.

At the conclusion of the game, Wayne Gretzky's father, Walter, presented championship medals to the Amherst Mite Minor "AAA" team of Batz, Berke, Briere, Flanders, Mark Gilbert, Hannon, Kasperek, Kelly, Lock, Joey Marchese, Jordan Martin, McKenna, Frankie Sciolino, Ryan Sidorski, and Slick. The team was also presented with the Wayne Gretzky Invitational Tournament Championship banner, which will proudly hang in the Amherst Pepsi Center.

Gretzky also presented medals to the Amherst Mite Minor AAA coaching team of John Hannon, Mark Berke, Jay Kochan, and Dave Kasperek, as well as team managers Dave Flanders and John Martin.

Amherst 5, Stratford Warriors 1

In order to advance to the championship game, Amherst needed to come away a winner in its semifinal match-up with the Stratford Warriors. The game took place on Dec. 29 at the Gretzky Blue rink. Amherst dominated en route to victory.

Throughout the tournament, Amherst benefited from the strong goaltending of Caleb Hannon, as well as the strong defensive talents of Matt Slick, Devin Kasperek, Ryan Sidorski, Jordan Martin, and Mark Gilbert. Amherst entered the championship having allowed only four goals.

Carson Briere earned Amherst's first goal on a breakaway after he picked off the puck given up by the Stratford defenders while Amherst was short-handed. Less than two minutes later, Joey Marchese executed a sharp blue line pass to Frankie Sciolino, who carried the puck up the ice and scored on a low shot from the far side of Stratford's net.

Twenty-six seconds later, Nate Berke lit the lamp as he rifled an unstoppable high shot over the left side of Stratford goalie Tom McDonnell. The first period ended with a 3-0 Knights lead.

Hannon used the second period to demonstrate why he was named Amherst's MVP of the game. Hannon faced steady pressure from the Stratford offense, but stopped each attack with his skill. Hannon shut down a sharp attack by Stratford's Joe Yundt. Later in the period, Hannon wowed the crowd as he made an incredible glove save while lying prone on the ice.

Stratford substituted Jared Lardser in net, but the change in goalie didn't stop the strong Amherst squad. Stratford's lone goal came as Tanner Hertel rang a shot inside the far post.

Berke went on an explosive breakaway and beat Lardser as he lifted the puck top shelf to earn Amherst's fourth goal. Three minutes later, Berke earned a hat trick as he once again rifled a high shot into the Stratford net to give Amherst a berth in the championship game.

Amherst 6,

Oshawa Solar Bears 0

On Dec. 28, Amherst simply dominated the Oshawa Solar Bears. Amherst's defensive squad showed its ability to play a two-way game by racking up goals and assists on the score sheet.

Defenseman Matt Slick was named game MVP after he picked up the puck deep in Amherst's zone and skated up the boards to make a cut for the net and sink a shot through the Oshawa goalie. Joey Marchese and Ryan Sidorski assisted Slick deep in the Amherst zone.

With 52 seconds remaining in the first period, Nate Berke fired an awesome pass to Carson Briere who scored on a backhanded shot to give the Knights a 2-0 lead.

Early in the second period, Oshawa goalie Alex Wisco was able to thwart some strong Amherst attacks, including an impressive backhand shot by Colton McKenna, and another strong shot by Camden Lock. But Oshawa's luck ran out when Jordan Martin passed to Blake Flanders who rushed the puck on a breakaway to score on the far side.

Less than one minute later, Jack Kelly scored off a rebound from a shot by Briere to give Amherst a 4-0 lead at the end of the second period.

In the third period, Slick once again captured the puck and rifled a shot at the Oshawa net. Although the Oshawa goalie caught a piece of the shot, Adam Batz was there to score on the rebound. With 2:32 remaining, the defensive duo of Ryan Sidorski and Jordan Martin passed to Berke, who earned Amherst's sixth goal on a low shot that sunk deep in the Oshawa net.

In addition to Slick, Sidorski, and Martin, Amherst defensemen Devin Kasperek and Mark Gilbert were key to keeping the play out of Amherst's zone and protecting the goaltending shutout earned by Caleb Hannon.

Amherst 5, West London Hawks 2

Lions Park Arena was the site of the afternoon game on Dec. 27 when Amherst challenged the West London Hawks. The Hawks had an undefeated season prior to meeting up with Amherst.

Although both teams took the first period to warm up, the second period was extremely action-packed. Blake Flanders earned the first goal on a power play assisted by Carson Briere and Colton McKenna.

Less than one minute later, Mark Gilbert and Jordan Martin passed the puck up to McKenna who pushed the puck ahead and lifted it high over the Hawk goalie's right side. A little more than one minute later, Flanders assisted as Camden Lock executed an impressive high shot that soared over the Hawk goalie.

Amherst's skill and conditioning was showcased as the team was called upon to defeat a two-man power play advantage for close to five minutes in the second period. Amherst's penalty kill was impressive as it maintained its 3-0 lead to the conclusion of the second period.

The Hawks rebounded early in the third period with a goal by Tyler Dalessandro. However, Amherst responded less than 40 seconds later as Lock passed to Briere who broke away and deked the goalie to earn Amherst's fourth goal. Briere was later named Most Valuable Player.

Amherst's final goal came as Jack Kelly utilized his powerful backhand shot to penetrate the Hawk net. West London's Issac Ratcliffe earned the Hawks second tally with 1:40 remaining in the game.

Amherst 7, Brantford 99er's 1

Amherst played the host Brantford 99'ers on Dec. 27 on the Gretzky Blue rink. Brantford goalie Matthew Bell faced unrelenting pressure from the deep Amherst squad.

The trio of Colton McKenna, Blake Flanders, and Carson Briere teamed up for a McKenna goal that was shot from the high slot. The Knights killed two consecutive Brantford power plays. Mark Gilbert fought hard in the corners and got the puck to Frankie Sciolino who passed the puck to the front of Brantford's net to an eager Camden Lock who was able to push the puck in the net. The first period ended with a 2-0 Amherst lead.

Briere got the second period scoring started as he earned an unassisted short-handed goal from the high slot. Ethan Richardson earned Brantford's only goal of the contest when he shot one through the five-hole of the Amherst net.

Briere had another breakaway shot, but was denied by an impressive split save made by the Bell. With 1:23 remaining in the period, Colton McKenna scored on a rebound off a shot by defenseman Ryan Sidorski. Only 20 seconds later, Camden Lock scored off a pass from Nate Berke. Amherst had a 5-1 lead at the end of the second period.

The Knights' final two goals resulted from the hustle of game MVP Flanders, and Briere. Briere passed the puck up to Flanders who sunk the puck deep in the Brantford net to earn a short-handed goal. Less than two minutes later, Colton McKenna assisted as Flanders scored off a Briere rebound.