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Bantam Tyees claim Island title

Campbell River rep hockey team trounces Port Alberni Bulldogs 17-1 to capture championship
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The bantam Tyees raise their sticks to thank the hometown fans after winning the Island Tier 2 title on Sunday with a convincing 17-1 victory over the Port Alberni Bulldogs. Campbell River now advances to the provincial championship tournament.

The No. 1 Auto Body Bantam A Tyees are Island Champions after sweeping the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in two straight games.

Tyees Travis Goodwin and Grady McInnes each scored twice as Campbell River took the opener 9-4 Saturday evening in Port Alberni.

Singles went to Josh Coblenz, Devyn Grant, Kurtis Scriba, Cole Rennie, and Austin Simper.

The Tyees got off to a fast start, scoring on their first shot on goal. They led 2-0 after the first period and 6-3 after two.

Campbell River clinched the title Sunday afternoon in front of a large hometown crowd, pummeling the Bulldogs 17-1 at Rod Brind’Amour Arena.

The line of McInnes, Goodwin and Gavin Rauser combined for 10 goals while Tyson Goebel and Rennie each notched a pair. Coblenz, Scriba, and Simper rounded out the scoring.

The Tyees again jumped out to an early lead as McInnes tallied just 16 seconds after the opening faceoff.

Head coach Peter Martin said his team’s preparation for the finals could be summed up in one word.

“Focus – that’s what we stressed,” he said. “The coaches really wanted them to focus and be prepared at the start of each game. Going back to the semi-final against Juan de Fuca, the guys have begun to understand the importance of setting the tone early and not waiting around for things to happen. Now they proactively go after it and say ‘catch us if you can.’ ”

A balanced attack proved to be too much for the Bulldogs as the Tyees’ relentless forecheck came from all three lines.

Final shots on goal in Sunday’s game favoured the fish 68-15.

“We knew Travis (Goodwin), Grady (McInnes), and Gavin (Rauser) had some chemistry before Travis got injured earlier in the season,” Martin said. “And we wanted to keep Josh Coblenz’s line together (with Cole Rennie and Sage Lim). Now Kurtis Scriba, Tyson Goebel and Austin Simper have come together and given us a real good energy line – they use their speed and work extremely hard in the corners. They also bring that maturity and physical element you like to see from second year players.”

The Tyees will now represent Vancouver Island in the Tier 2 Bantam Provincials, which begin March 18 in Trail and Rossland.   With his team peaking at the right time, Martin has plenty of reason for optimism.

“We’ve given ourselves a chance,” he says. “Plus, we have 10 or 11 kids that went through all this two years ago in peewee. They’ve had the benefit of a winning experience and can bring that with them when we get back to practice later this week.”

The Campbell River Peewee A Tyees won the Tier 2 Provincials in 2010.