Congrats to the Lasalle AtoMc Red Bulls for clinching the B Division title in the 2019 Hockey for Hospice Tournament.
In their first game of the tournament, the Red Bulls went down two goals early in the first period. The Red Bulls never lost their composure though, and held strong for the remainder of the first. In the second period the Red Bulls began chipping away at their opponent’s lead and eventually won 5-2. After winning their second game with a convincing shutout win, the Red Bulls encountered in their third game a formidable adversary in the Tecumseh Atom league leading Orange Swamp Rabbits. At the end of three periods of hard fought hockey, the game finished in a 1-1 tie.
The Red Bulls proceeded into the B division for the playoff round of the tournament. They dominated their semi final game from start to finish, posting their second shutout win of the tournament. Much to their dismay, the Red Bulls found that for the B division final they would once again have to go to battle against the Orange Swamp Rabbits. Just as they did in their first game of the tournament, the Red Bulls went down 2 goals early, and just like they did in their first game, the Red Bulls stormed back, scoring four unanswered goals. The Red Bulls had to fight with everything they had to hold the lead. Early in the third period, the Swamp Rabbits were awarded a penalty shot, but were unable to convert. Late in the third period, the Swamp Rabbits put one more on the board to make it a one goal game, but due to the unrelenting pressure exacted by the Red Bulls’ forecheck, the Swamp Rabbits could not pull their goalie in the dying seconds of the game and could not get one more on the board. In the end, the Red Bulls emerged with a character building 4-3 victory.
Most importantly, all of the players, parents and coaches had a lot of fun. The Red Bulls’ spirit was summed up perfectly by one player who, after scoring his first ever goal to the delight of cheering teammates, coaches and families in the stands, said to one of his coaches “I love hockey, it’s my favourite sport”!
