THUNDER BAY — It was a rough start for the host Thunder Bay Kings to open the BioSteel 2023 All Ontario U13 AAA Championship.
The Greater Toronto Hockey League champion Markham Majors, held to a single goal in the opening period, exploded for five goals in the second and cruised to an 9-0 win over the Kings, disappointing hundreds of local school children who poured into Fort William Gardens to cheer on their hometown team.
Colton Cribari led the Majors offensive charge, scoring once and adding three assists, including a shorthanded marker that came with less than four seconds to go in the middle stanza. Oliver Iemma also had a pair.
“Our goal was just trying to get shots on goal,” said Cribari, son of the Majors coach, Kevin Cribari.
"It was just pushing pucks on net and getting as many goals as we could.”
Chances were few and far between for the Kings, who were outshot 36-23, falling for the fourth time this season to the Majors.
“It definitely wasn’t the way we wanted to start the tournament,” said Kings coach Jason Disher. “We played that team a lot tougher throughout the year. We had two really good games against them. They were ready to play.
“We haven’t played a competitive game like that in a month, a month-and-a-half. We’ll get ourselves going.”
Thunder Bay’s best opportunities to put the puck past Markham goaltender Dylan Sack came in the second and third. Benton Ashworth had an open shot early in the period and Brady Nash later ripped a backhand off Sack’s mask.
Felix Sapay had back-to-back chances early in the third, and later had a goal waved off on a wraparound chance, the puck crossing the line after the on-ice officials blew the whistle. Cooper Disher, son of the Kings coach, also had a breakaway chance later in the final stanza, but fired the puck wide.
Antonio Schiavo had the lone goal of the first for the Majors, firing the puck off the shoulder of Thunder Bay goaltender Kainnan Macgillivray.
The second period proved to be the Kings undoing and when the onslaught began, the goals came fast and furious.
Joseph Fenwick started the show at 2:52, firing home a wrist shot after taking a beautiful pin-point, cross-ice pass from teammate Jack Samek. Just over a minute later Cam Johnson sent a low shot along the ice that lit the lamp.
The Majors would add another on the power play at 9:07, Cribari tipping home another low shot sent toward the Kings net by Carter Cross.
A scramble in front of the Thunder Bay net saw the puck kick loose to Shane Roche, the goal coming 34 seconds after Cribari’s tally.
Up 6-0 after two, the Majors tacked on three more in the third to round out the lopsided win. Sack made 23 saves in recording the shutout.
Markham takes on the Ottawa Valley Titans at 4 p.m., while the Kings will look to find the win column at 7 p.m. versus the Kenora Thistles.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Markham, Sciavo (Walsh) 5:37. Penalties: None.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 2. Markham, Fenwick (Samek, Cross) 2:52. 3. Markham, Johnson (Boudreau) 3:59. 4. Markham, Iemma (Cross, Cribari) 9:07 pp. 5. Markham, Roche (Schiavo, Walsh) 9:41. 6. Markham, Cribari 2 (Samek, Roche) 14:56 sh. Penalties: Cribari MRK (tripping) 4:47, Sapay TB (roughing) 8:11, Staley MRK (tripping) 13:10.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 7. Markham, Fenwick (Iemma) 8:03. 8. Markham, Iemma (unassisted) 8:26. 9. Markham, Boudreau (Cribari) 13:32. Penalties: Cross MRK (unsportsmanlike conduct), Nash TB (cross checking) 10:27, Cribari MRK (hooking) 10:47
GAME DATA – SOG – Markham 11-18-7-36, Thunder Bay 5-8-10-23; Power plays (goals-chances) – Markham (1-1), Thunder Bay (0-3); Goaltenders – Markham: Dylan Sack, Thunder Bay: Kainaan Macgillivray.
