2017 CanAm Junior Ball Hockey Championships: A Celebration of Excellence in Junior Ball Hockey
2017 CanAm U19 Junior Ball Hockey Championships
It is a game for the ages, for all ages as a matter of fact that has become a legacy onto it’s own. It is a game that has become an institution, a way of life for thousands of players, coaches, officials, administrators and fans of an activity that is played with a ball and a stick on neighbourhood streets, schoolyard parking lots, gymnasiums and rinks from coast-to- coast throughout the country. The game is ball hockey and it is brought to you by the National Ball Hockey Association of Canada (NBHAC).
There was nineteen teams vying for the coveted Bauer Championship Cup of Ball Hockey in their respective division.
U19 Champions – East York Nationals
The City of Brampton provided the backdrop for the U19 event and most prognosticators predicted the competition would be highly contested with very little separating the teams vying for the tournament title.
The early favorites, Penetang Blazers and Belleville Predators were both looking for the championship and to preserve their place in the history books. Nonetheless, the upstart East York Nationals, Oshawa Stampede, Brampton Jr Express and Penn Hills Revolution would have something to say about the outcome before it was all said and done.
In the end it was the East York Nationals that would capture the Bauer Championship Cup. The team went 3-0-1 in the round robin ensuring a semi final against the Predators and the other semi final would have the Blazers against the jr Express.
The four finalists know each other well as the rosters had numerous Junior Team Canada (JTC) alumni on their teams and it would come down to timely goals that would prove to be the difference on the road to the championship.
In one semi final, the Nationals would blow the game open in the second period with five unanswered goals en route to a 7-2 victory. The other game was a back and forth battle that would see the Blazers win 3-0.
The final would see two opposing styles of play between the run and gun offense of the Nationals and the defensively sound Blazers.
The Blazers have been one of the best defensive teams for many years backstopped by strong goaltending and this would be their greatest challenge versus the high flying team from East York. The Nationals would set the tone by scoring first and first period would end with them holding a 2-1 lead.
The second period would see the teams exchange chances and goals and Nationals would go onto winning the championship with a 4-2 victory adding an empty net goal in the final minute of play.
The Revolution would capture the U19 A championship with a 6-4 victory over the Oshawa Stampede.
For complete game by game results, click here