The #1 Autobody PeeWee A Tyees got off to a slow start in their playoffs, but came together at the right time in order to push through to the best of three Finals.
Game #1 in the Tier 2 North round robin took place Jan. 28 at home against Nanaimo. While the Tyees dominated the Clippers in shots, the game would end in a 2-2 draw. Both Tyees goals were scored by Wyatt Murray.
The second round robin game took place in Powell River on Feb. 3 and this was not the Tyees’ best outing. While Breydan Riecker and Kye Benoche managed to pot a goal apiece, the Kings scored seven times and won the match up. This would make the final two round-robin games must-wins for the Campbell River team.
Game three on Feb. 11 was at home against the Oceanside Generals and showed all around strong team play by the Tyees members. Ryder Plecas scored a goal, Riecker got two and Ethan Vaton got the hattrick in what would result in a 6-1 victory for the Tyees over the Generals.
The final game of the round-robin took place the next day in Courtenay vs. the Comox Valley Chiefs and again, the Tyees would prevail with an 8-1 win over the Chiefs. Forwards Plecas, Murray, Riecker and Vaton would each score two goals in the win. Defenseman Wyatt Dumont chipped in a noteworthy 3 assists while Vaton put up an incredible six-point game.
The Tyees moved on to the semifinal game in Peninsula which took place on Feb. 18. The Campbell River team was racked with illness in this must-win game and showed tremendous grit, putting in a solid team effort in order to get the job done in the 4-2 win. Murray, Tristan Granter, Vaton and Plecas each scored a goal in this tense and exciting game. The Tyees defense worked hard to fend off the Eagles and goalie Tanner Ferrill played a great game in net.
The Tyees would advance to a best-of-three rematch with the Powell River Kings in their barn on Saturday, Feb. 25. The Kings scored first near the end of the opening period, but Murray made it even early in the second with assists from Ian Mills and Carson Harris. The Kings scored again soon after, but Plecas would even it up with assists from Murray and Vaton. Seconds later, Powell River would bury the third goal, but then Easton would have an answer with an assist from Riecker. Ferrill would work hard to defend his net and it would be a 3-3 draw at the end of the second period.
The tense third period solved nothing and neither did a ten minute sudden death overtime. After another ice clean and at around the 10-minute mark of the fifth period, Mills would pass the puck to Ryan Deagle who dumped it into the corner where Riecker would beat the Kings defenseman to the puck and throw it towards the net, where it deflected off a Kings player and landed between the pipes for the 4-3 win.
The Campbell River squad hoped to wrap up the series on Sunday at home in front of an electric crowd, but the Kings had a different idea. There was no score in the first period and most of the way through the second, but then the Kings would get on the scoreboard first. Early in the third, Riecker would dangle the puck into the King’s zone and Murray would score on an ensuing scramble.
Unfortunately, seconds later the Kings would have an answer and that would be all the scoring that would happen and the final would be 2-1 Kings in this extremely defensive game.
This Saturday in Powell River, the final game will take place that will determine which of these two teams will be Island Tier 2 Champions and will head to Trail in March for Provincials. The PeeWee A Tyees really hope to bring the banner home.