Local teams win Bantam tourney titles

A pair of Fort Frances teams won titles at the nine-team Bantam ‘A’ hockey tournament here over the weekend.
The Oddfellows captured the ‘B’-side crown with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Dryden Leafs while Canadian Tire dumped Kenora Legion 5-3 to win the ‘C’ title.
The Kenora Predators won the ‘A’-side crown with a 3-1 win over the Faribault Falcons (Minnesota).
Ryan Smith, assisted by Damian Allan, netted the game-winner for the Oddfellows against the Dryden Leafs while the teams were down to two skaters apiece.
The Oddfellows had trailed 3-2 but Scott Grynol forced overtime with a goal with 2:24 to play.
Jeff Lundy and Trevor Smith had scored earlier to give the hosts a 2-0 first-period lead.
Kim Fowler and Alison McIvor shared the win in goal.
The Oddfellows had opened the tourney with a 5-3 win over the Emo Cowboys on Friday afternoon but then lost 4-1 to the Predators that night.
Scoring in the Cowboy win were Terry Kellar, Fowler, Kyle Martin, Ryan Calder, and Grynol while Smith tallied in the loss to Kenora.
The Oddfellows, paced by Smith’s hat trick, then blanked the Emo Panthers 6-0 on Saturday. Also scoring were Cody Hayward, Kellar, and Darren Smith.
They later advanced to the ‘B’ final with a 5-2 win over the BDO Leafs (Dryden) on goals by Damian Allan (two), Steve Van Dulman, Ryan Smith, and Trevor Smith.
Meanwhile, Dave Starling had three goals and an assist to lead Canadian Tire to the ‘C’ title over the Kenora Legion. Jamie Krukoski added a goal and an assist while Daniel Murray also scored.
Canadian Tire had opened play Friday afternoon with a 5-1 loss to the BDO Leafs. Krukoski, assisted by Kurtis Wepruk, tallied their lone goal in the second period.
They later tied Faribault 2-2 (Krukoski netted both goals), then trounced the Emo Cowboys 7-2 on the strength of two-goal performances by Wepruk and Starling.
Matt Basaraba, Rick Ricard, and Krukoski also scored for Canadian Tire in that one.
Canadian Tire then made it two wins in a row after dumping Kenora Legion 5-3. Wepruk and Starling each scored twice while Tyler Windego netted the other.
That victory put them in the ‘C’ final against Kenora Legion, which they won by an identical 5-3 score.