It was a difficult end to a series that started with so much promise.

After stealing Game 1 of their Best-of-Three Eastern Ontario Minor Hockey League series in Brighton, the U15 Heidelberg Materials Prince Edward County Kings were unable to finish off the Bolts in Game 2 and 3 and were denied a berth at the Ontario Minor Hockey Association championships in Halton Hills.

Game 2

Just a day after returning from the Warrior Tournament in St. Catherines where they made the playoff round, the Kings hosted the Bolts for Game 2 on Monday, March 18.

The locals had plenty of chances to score over the first two frames of Game 2 including a late power play in the middle stanza however Brighton goaltender Brandon Covell foiled the home side shooters time and again.

After a scoreless first and second period, Brighton came out firing in the third period and finally solved Kings starter Jack Martin early in the third, potting three goals in the span of 1:39.

Mr. Covell continued his mastery of Prince Edward County shooters and wound up with a playoff shutout to his credit.

Game 3

With the series tied 1-1, the teams returned to Huff Estates Arena Ice Wednesday March 20 for a game that would go down to the wire.

Brighton would score early to take a 1-0 lead but the Kings responded at the 3:21 mark of the first as Weston Byford set up Jake Goad at the Brighton net for a tap in to tie the game 1-1.

In the second, the Kings once again would be forced to play comeback as Brighton’s Landon Scheer beat Kings netminder Jack Lavender at 5:26 of the second.

Kings forward Drake Wight came within inches of pushing the Kings ahead as he hit iron off a brilliant shorthanded rush from his own end.

Finally, Mr. Goad played triggerman for the Kings with just 29 seconds left in the middle frame to square the affair at 2-2.

In the third, Brighton would bolt ahead a third time as Ryan Dale tipped home his second of the game off a feed from Mr. Scheer at the 10:06 mark to push the visitors ahead 3-2.

With the over 300 fans in attendance cheering the Kings on, the locals would test Brighton starter PJ Eddy time and again but couldn’t find a way to light the lamp a third time and the Kings lost the series 2-1.

Local League wrap up

This past weekend marked the end of the Local League season for the Prince Edward County Minor Hockey Association and local youth hockey teams wrapped up the year by playing off against one another and presenting year-end awards.

Among the major award winners were:

The Devin Dulmage Memorial Award- Everett Thomson (Pictured above).

The Don Wight Memorial Coach of the Year- Rob Garden.

The Gwen Eaton Memorial Award- The Sarley Family.

The Elijah Cole Memorial Award- Porter Hymus.

Local League Appreciation Award- Adam Mann.

TEAM AWARDS:

U7

Timbits 1- Everett Thomson (Most Dedicated), Gaven Cordes (Most Sportsmanlike), Marigold Lang (Most Imporved). Timbits 2- Jensen Miller (MD), Daphne Reynolds (MS), Sawyer Koopmans (MI). Timbits 3- Emmett Pearsoll (MD), Jesse Chapman (MS), Dehila Carter (MI). Timbits 4- Ethan Courtney (MD), Bentley Yuill (MS), Paul VanHarlem (MI).

U8 sponsored by Tim Hortons

LL1- Declan Lane (MD), Charlie Mann (MS), Emmit Englesdofer (MI). LL2- Bennett Miller (MD), Evie MacDonald (MS), Miles Gillman (MI)

U9

Scotiabank- Maksim Thomka (MD), Lily Nurse (MS), Harry Coombs (MI). U9 Prinzen Ford- Emerson Gellar (MD), Declan Coates (MS), Frank McGinnis (MI).

U11 sponsored by McDonald’s

Atomc 1- Oakley Walker (MD), Everen Va Der Bij (MS), Cameron Herbert (MI). Atomc 2- Aiden Lunn (MD), Reid O’Donnell (MS), Nolan Anthony (MI). Atomc 3- Niko Cordez (MD), Hudson Man (MS), Eleanor McKinley (MI). Atomc 4- Laik Cole (MD), Emmalyn Quaiff (MS), Owen Cameron (MI).

U13

Ray’s Power Equipment- Teegan Grosse (MD), Charlotte Van Hecke (MS), Hartley Wallach (MI). Picton Foodland- Gavin Hebert (MD), Danas Miller (MS), Lenna Chapman.

U15

Wager Farms- Hayden Cooper (MD), Alana Howe (MS), Harvey Lough (MI). Picton Home Hardware- Aaron VanHaalem (MD), Deaken Insley (MS), Ethan Maw (MI).