Staff
Ontario had Manitoba on the run but the “Bison Province” showed its horns when it need to.
Team Ontario, featuring local defenceman Izzy Smith (Couchiching), were on a third-period roll with three-straight goals to take a 5-4 lead in Saturday’s gold-medal final of the boys’ division at the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships in Cowichan, B.C.
But Mason Martin netted the equalizer with 1:10 left in regulation time.
Justin Nachbaur then notched the game-winner at 13:25 of overtime to give Manitoba a thrilling 6-5 win, leaving Ontario to take home the silver medal.
Smith had no points in six games at the tournament.
Ontario blanked B.C. 5-0 in Friday’s semi-finals and finished the tourney with a 4-2 record.
In the girls’ division, Annalise (CC) Hayes (Couchiching) and Makenna Henttonen (Onigaming) were part of an Ontario team that ended up with a 2-4 record.
After losing 3-2 in overtime in the quarter-finals to Saskatchewan, Ontario fell 5-2 to Team Atlantic in a game used to help determine where each province will be ranked at next year’s nationals in Nova Scotia.
Hayes finished the tournament with a goal and an assist in five games.
Henttonen, meanwhile, had two assists in four games.
