Kings take Border Battle with win over Hermantown

THUNDER BAY -- Cullen McCormack tallied twice, including notching the game-winner, as the Thunder Bay Kings defeated the Hermantown Hawks 3-1 Sunday in the championship game of the under-15 AAA Border Battle at the Thunder Bay Tournament Centre.

After Hermantown took a 1-0 lead early in the second period, McCormack drew the Kings level late in the middle frame.

He then got the eventual difference maker with just under nine minutes remaining off a Jack Koski set-up, who had two assists in the triumph.

Mason Glousher then iced it for Thunder Bay with an empty netter deep in regulation.

The Hawks had advanced to the title game after upsetting the previously unbeaten Edina Hornets 4-1 in semifinal play.

Earlier in the day, Thunder Bay got by the Soo Jr. Greyhounds 3-2 in overtime, during the other semifinal encounter.

A Glousher blast from up top sealed the victory in extra time, on a power play, after the Soo tied it late with a shorthanded marker.

McCormack banged in two more for his side in the win, with Cooper Disher collecting a trio of assists.

The Kings began the eight-team event Thursday clipping the Hawks 5-4.

Pacing Thunder Bay offensively in that one was a hat trick off the stick of Owen Trevisanutto, while Disher was the play-maker on three goals.

Also finding the back of the net were Liam Maxwell and Glousher, who had also chipped in with the pair of assists.

Next came a 6-4 triumph versus the Duluth East Greyhounds, Friday.

Trevisanutto and Disher both tallied twice in the win while Ethan Williamson and McCormack supplied singles.

A two-game slate Saturday saw Thunder Bay wrap-up round robin action with a 6-1 win over the Grand Rapids Thunderhawks before being blanked 5-0 against Edina.

In the result over Grand Rapids, the Kings rebounded from an early deficit, then got six straight into the net en route to the result.

Producing a couple of markers apiece were Maxwell and Gavin Godick.

Also connecting were Disher and Darwin Brinkman in a contest that saw Carson Clarke aid the cause with a pair of assists.

Manning the nets for Thunder Bay in the tournament triumph was Kainaan Macgillivray while affiliate goaltenders Carter Johnson and Easton Merchant served as back-ups, filling in for the injured Xavier Roussel.