The Whitby Wildcats successfully defended home ice to capture the Minor Midget AAA championship, beating the Brampton 45's 5-3 in the gold medal game.
This marks the second year in a row that this group of Wildcats has won gold, winning the Bantam AAA group last season.
The Quinte Red Devils topped the Ajax-Pickering Raiders in the bronze medal game.
Congratulations to all five teams on a weekend filled with great hockey!
The Minor Midget AAA Championship presented by CCM field is set and now five teams from across the Ontario Minor Hockey Association will battle it out for the championship crown and the coveted #RedHats. This will be the last chance for players to showcase their talents in the OMHA before the 2017 OHL Priority Selection. The championship weekend takes place March 3-5 at Iroquois Park Sports Complex in Whitby.
The five teams will face each other in a round robin. From there, the top two teams will square off in the gold medal game and the third and fourth place teams will play for bronze.
Below is a breakdown of each team.
The Raiders are riding a wave a momentum after coming out on top of a winner-take-all game for the final spot in this championship. A strong team all year, Ajax-Pickering really turned it on in the second half to shoot up the standings and begin their playoff push. Led by standout Connor McMichael, who finished third in Minor Midget scoring, the Raiders can keep every game close.
One of the top Minor Midget teams all season, the 45’s are also one of the most balanced in the league. They boasted some of the top scorers all year which poses a challenge for many opponents to try to contain that many scoring threats.
The 45’s emerged as one of the top teams after their round of qualifiers. They have shown that any close game will likely end up in their favour which is a huge skill to have at this point of the season. Brampton battles in every game and will be a tough out.
It was an emotional start to the year for the Highlanders but they are an example that anything can happen during playoffs. They have caught fire as of late, winning nine of their last 10 games and knocking off higher seeded opponents one by one.
Momentum is one of the biggest weapons for any team and can be particularly dangerous at this time of year. The offence has been rolling and the Highlanders are clicking exactly when they need to be. Could Grey-Bruce be this year’s Cinderella story?
Quinte is a very strong team overall. The Red Devils don’t give up a lot of goals so any offensive unit going against them will need to bring their ‘A’ game. They are one of the deepest groups in the OMHA and get the job done together.
Tying just three games all year, the Red Devils have shown that they play until the final whistle and decide their own fate. This ability to control their own destiny will only serve them well in the biggest weekend of their season.
The Wildcats may be the host team but they didn’t need that rule to get into the championship weekend. One of the top teams all season, the Wildcats finished the year with the best record and most points in Minor Midget AAA. This group is looking to defend their championship after winning it all last year in Bantam.
Whitby is the strongest defensive team based on goals allowed and that has been a key to their success. They haven’t lost a game since December and it will take a lot to stop a deep lineup that is rolling like they are. Check out a behind the scenes look at the Wildcats with the Home Ice series.