A local under-18 hockey team is hoping to make history after an already historic run on the ice for a team in their age group.
The Barrie Colts U18 'AAA' team finished first in the Eastern 'AAA' Hockey League (ETA) this year with a 27-4-4 record.
The boys squad is heading to the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) championship this weekend as the No. 1 seed from the ETA.
The event takes place in Oakville on March 24-26 and features the four best teams from the ETA loop and the four best from the South Central 'AAA' Hockey League (SCTAHL).
Barrie Colts manager Kathleen McMillan told BarrieToday the local team has been able to get it done all year due to the tight bond they share.
“It's been such a great season. The boys really bought into the coach’s game plans and have bonded together like a family,” McMillan said. “They’re like 19 brothers in the change room and that helps, as our assistant coach has often said that you have to win off the ice before you win on the ice.”
The team is made up of 19 players, including Tristen Aben, Jacob Belisle, Liam Cardiff, Max Dirracolo, Gunner Kirk, Nathan Leek, Ian Lightheart, Aidan Lindsay, Tristan MacIver, Carson Marinelli, Hunter Martell, Matthew McInnis, Liam McKenzie, Lucas McLean, Liam Moorhead Favreau, Liam Oravsky, Alex Prokopec, Noah Prokopec, and Landon Simec.
McMillan said Barrie squad has played together for two years with a bench made up of non-parents, somewhat of a rarity in the league.
“There are not a lot of non-parent coaches as it's a lot of time and quite a bit of commitment,” she said. “It does make things run smoother at times. There is no bias, or perceived bias, no politics.”
The team’s pursuit of the coveted red hats — which are bestowed upon the winners — begins with a game at 8 a.m., Friday, against Oshawa followed by Oakville at 6 p.m., and then a noon tilt with Grey-Bruce. The top two teams make it to the semifinals on Sunday with the final later that day.
“It's quite an event and will be a tough weekend for all teams involved,” MacMillan said.
MacMillan said the Barrie team has been ranked third overall in Ontario for almost the entire season and a Barrie U-18 team has only ever placed as finalists at the OMHAs, in 1991 and 1997, but have not been to the final since.
“About half our team are 2006-born players, so being in their junior year they can come back next year if they want to play U-18 again as it's a two-year program,” she said. “But we also have seven 2005 players who won’t be back, which will be heavily emotional for them as it is their last year of minor hockey.”
If the team wins this weekend, they’ll head to the Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF) championships in Windsor at the end of April.
The winner of the OHF will then compete in the Telus Cup, which includes the best teams in the country.
