Winnipeg Chiefs, SK Nationals, Westman Warriors, ManSask Wolfpack Championship Recaps

The Winnipeg Chiefs captured the 2004 age division at the AAA Summer Hockey Challenge in Brandon by handily defeating the SK Crusaders 14-1 in the championship final.  The Chiefs were lead offensively by Elliot Lewis who registered two goals and four assists.   Luke Janus, Talon Weselak, and Lucas Gillson each chipped in with two markers a piece while Dylan Martens, Austin Manaigre, Mattew Lizotte, Riley Dudych, Keefe Gruener, and Carson Shewfelt each had singles.  Dawson Karol scored late in the 3^rd frame to break up the shutout bid of the Chiefs net minder Andrew Ness.  The crusaders were outshot 43-5 overall. Earlier in the day the Crusaders surprised the 04 Jr. Moose with a thrilling 6-5 victory propelling them into the afternoons final.  The Chiefs sailed into the finals with a 10-1 victory, over a team from the Lake of the Woods in Ontario, Saturday evening.

The 2003 division was broken down into Silver and Gold levels.  In the silver division the SK Nationals, out of Regina toppled the Westman Thunder 5-1 to capture their division.  Hunter Wood recorded four assists in the win.  Carter Derenisky fired two goals and added an assist.  Other markers came off the sticks of Mason Nichol. Riley Hoffman and Tyler Kistner.  The lone goal scorer for the Thunder was forward Denis Ntelioglou.   The Thunder were unable to answer the hot goaltending of the Nationals Arden Lloyd who made 24 saves in picking up the win.  The Nationals won all five games they participated in over the weekend while the Thunder finished the weekend with 4 wins and 2 losses.

The Gold Division was a hard fought battle right down to the final buzzer and ended up in an overtime period and then a shootout.  Eventually the Westman Warriors upended the Mallard Stars 7-6.  Riley Brody scored twice in regulation and added an assist to lead the charge offensively for the Warriors.  Ayden Atkey, Ty Funk, Avery Kirkup and Brayden Howarth each chipped in with singles.  For the Stars Noah Houle had three assists in a losing cause.  Keelian Levasseur, Brayden Broome, Michael Spence, Keanu Woodhouse, Kyle Cochrane and Colby Bear each scored once for Mallard.  Mallard advanced to the tournament finals after beating the Toon Town Tigers 5-3 in the late game on Saturday night.  Earlier in tournament round robin play the boys from Toon Toon had defeated the Stars by a score of 10-1. 

The Man-Sask Wolfpack had an easy time of it in the 2002 age group as they won five straight games over the weekend outscoring their opponents 59-3 over that stretch.  They cruised to the 2002 title, and take home the belt, after a convincing 12-1 win over the team from Eastman in Sundays closer.  Josh Romanyk had a goal and an assist in the final.  Scoring twice for the Wolfpack included Brady Frattinger, Drew Englot. Daemon Hunt and Cory King.  Others Wolfpack skaters to dent the twine Sunday included Brayden Michaluk, Reece Richmond and Mitch Theissen.  Trent Crane replied with the lone goal for Eastman on a shorthanded breakaway.  Overall the Wolfpack outshoot Eastman 53-6 in the final contest.  Earlier in the day Eastman punched their ticket to the finals with a convincing 9-5 victory over the Sask. Grrowl while the Wolfpack easily handled the Bearcats in their semi-final matchup by a score of 12-0.