NOVICE LOCAL LEAGUE
By Connie McCaig
The Novice Ice Devils had a busy weekend with games on both Saturday and Sunday. The team was on the road bright and early Saturday morning to face South Muskoka Middaugh Masonry in Bracebridge. The Ice Devils got off to a fast start, taking an early lead by scoring twice in the first period. Almaguin were up 4-0 half way through the second when South Muskoka finally made in on the board. A well played third period saw the team add two more goals, giving the novice team a win with a final score of 6-1.
Sunday saw the Novice Ice Devils host Huntsville Near North at the Sundridge Strong arena. At the end of the first period, neither team had been able to score, but during the second period both teams were able to make it on the board. Going into the third tied 1-1, the novice team worked hard to score two more goals, giving them a 3-1 win when the final buzzer went. It was a competitive game and the novice team had their work cut out for them to bring this win home.
The Novice Ice Devils continue to be undefeated (8-0) this season and will host South Muskoka Wes Finch and Sons on Dec. 10 in Burk's Falls. Start time is 10 a.m.
ATOM LOCAL LEAGUE
By Hailey Coughlin
On Dec. 3, the Atom Almaguin Ice Devils team travelled to Bracebridge to face South Muskoka HRC Insurance.
In the first period, Dylan Sohm started the team off strong by giving them a 1-0 lead. In the second period, Dylan got his second goal of the game, giving his team a great head start. Also in the second period, South Muskoka snuck a goal in, before Almaguin’s Corbin Jones got the third Devils goal of the game, making it 3-1. But once again, South Muskoka would reply with a goal. With one more goal Muskoka would have tied it up with the Ice Devils, but Dakota Wuori scored, giving Almaguin a two-goal lead and a 4-2 win.
Playing hard and receiving the player of the game for Almaguin, Devon Webster got his very first goal, the winning goal, making sure South Muskoka were not going to catch up.
Great job, Ice Devils.
The Atoms return to the ice next Saturday evening for a 6:15 p.m. game in Parry Sound.
PEEWEE LOCAL LEAGUE
By Becki Carleton
Coming off a disappointing loss the week before, this past weekend saw the peewees on the road in Bracebridge to face off against South Muskoka Call of the Wild. The last time these two teams met, Almaguin came away with a convincing 11-2 win and were hoping for more of the same magic.
Almaguin’s Hayden Snow put the visitors on the board first, scoring the only goal of the first midway through the period. After the somewhat sluggish opening frame, both teams got going in the second, combining for seven goals to send the game to the final period all knotted up at four. Second period Ice Devil tallies came courtesy of Brayden Moore, Hayden Snow and Connor McLaren.
Devils winger Jacob Callery opened the third period with his second goal of the year and Almaguin never looked back, adding four more (Snow with his third of the game, Connor McLaren, Moore and Marcus Krajinovic) on their way to a 9-4 win.
Despite the loss a game ago, the peewee team has really hit its stride in the past few weeks. They are playing some good hockey and having a lot of fun doing it. Next up: another away game next Sunday evening at 5:15 p.m. in Parry Sound.
BANTAM LOCAL LEAGUE
By Tena Butticci
A busy weekend for Bantam Local League. Saturday took the Bantams to Bracebridge for a date with Muskoka Highlands and, unfortunately, the team never seemed to hit its stride and struggled with penalties.
Managing to hold back the hard charging Muskoka Highlands team to just one goal in the first period, the second period was a challenge which saw with the Highlands net four goals. The final period saw no score from either side, ending the game in a 5-0 final.
Back home in Sundridge on Sunday to face off against the Parry Sound Shamrocks 1, the Devils got their game on and played a hard and fast first period, which ended with no score. The fast pace continued through the second period and the Devils never let up moving the puck and getting great shots on net, but the Shamrocks managed to score two. The third period saw Almaguin working together to control the ice and they were rewarded as Brett Cox-Zamaria got the home team on the board.
Not letting up, the Ice Devils fired shot after shot but just couldn’t find the back of the net. Pulling the goalie with two minutes remaining to add the extra skater, and trying to keep the puck in the Shamrocks' end, led to a nail-biter with several opportunities. They were unable to tie it up, ultimately dropping a 2-1 decision, but the Bantam Devils went away knowing they played as a team and worked hard. Player of the game for Almaguin went to Tyler Haggart.
The Bantam Ice Devils lace up again next Saturday at noon in Burk's Falls, facing off again against the same Shamrocks 1 team.
MIDGET LOCAL LEAGUE
By Clint Carleton
Oh, to have that minute back. … Three Parry Sound goals in 1:02 of the second period were the difference, as the Midget LL Ice Devils had their unbeaten streak snapped at five.
Parry Sound opened the scoring late in the first, only to have Almaguin’s Sabastian Patterson reply early in the second to tie things up at 1-1. Then came the aforementioned, fateful, second minute. Following the quick four goals, the Ice Devils were once again able to settle things down and forward Aidan Carleton shovelled in a Noah Haggart feed for a late second period power play goal to cut the lead to 4-2 heading to the third.
Following the intermission, the Devils came out in the third and carried the play for much of the period, looking determined to come from behind, but Parry Sound goalie Reggie Smyth had other ideas, turning aside shot after shot. The first place Shamrocks would add a final goal into an empty Almaguin net with just over a minute remaining in the game to seal the 5-2 victory.