Skates and Blades bring home gold

Skates and Blades (Fort Frances) captured the Novice title at the 10th-annual Robin’s Donuts Minor Hockey Classic in Thunder Bay last weekend, blanking the Nipigon Elks 2-0 in the final.
After a scoreless first period, Cole Calder netted an unassisted at 8:38 in the first period. Blake Wepruk (also unassisted) then tallied an insurance marker with 46 seconds left in the second.
The third period also was scoreless.
Cody McCool was named the game’s MVP.
Skates and Blades had opened the tourney with a dominating 8-0 shutout against the Terrace Bay Superiors, jumping out to a three-goal lead in the first on tallies by Zach McCool, Calder, and Wes Anderson.
Jeff Cridland and Calder scored second-period goals to make it 5-0, then iced the victory with the more goals in the third by Cridland (two) and Zach McCool,
Cridland was named the game’s MVP.
In their second game of the round-robin, Skates and Blades battled to a 0-0 tie against the North End Flames. T.J. Pocock was the team’s MVP in that one.
Then in their third game against the KC Supreme Cleaners, Skates and Blades cruised to a 6-0 whitewash.
Wepruk led the attack with a hat trick, with Zach McCool, Cody McCool, and Cridland netting the other goals. Wepruk was named the game’s MVP.
The shutout string ended in their fourth game against the W.E. Bruins but Skates and Blades still prevailed 3-1. Zach McCool tallied twice in that victory, with Wepruk scoring the other goal.
Zach McCool was named game MVP.
Then in their final game of the round-robin, Skates and Blades overcame a 2-0 first-period deficit to double the Marathon Storm by a 4-2 count.
Cridland scored twice in the second period to draw Skates and Blades even. Zach McCool broke the tie in the third period, then Wepruk added an insurance goal to ice the victory.
Calder earned the game MVP.
After sporting a perfect 5-0 record in the round-robin, Skates and Blades advanced to the Novice final with a narrow 2-1 win over the Schreiber North Stars.
The Fort pucksters jumped out to a 2-0 lead after two on goals by Wepruk and Wade Perusse. The North Stars drew within one in the third but that was as close as they could get.
Thomas Oakes was named the team’s MVP in that game.