After starting their Ontario Sledge Hockey season with two wins, the Open Non-Contact Woolwich Thrashers carried their momentum with them to the 10th Anniversary Cruisers Cup in Brampton last weekend, which attracted teams from across Canada and around the world.

The Thrashers opened the weekend against a familiar opponent, facing the Buffalo Sabres Sledge Hockey team for the third consecutive time in as many weeks. Despite the Thrashers taking the previous two games with matching 4-0 decisions, the Sabres got out to an early 1-0 lead. Woolwich Thrasher defenseman Troy Clemmer tied the game with his first ever sledge hockey goal, a rocket from the blueline that whizzed past the Sabres goaltender early in the second period. Thrashers Gideon Chamberlain, Dustin Hoag, and Josh Chambers joined the scoring, and the game ended in a 4-1 victory in Woolwich’s favour.

In their second game, the Thrashers faced off against The Wickenheisers, an all-female sledge hockey team based out of the GTA. The Thrashers got ahead 1-0 off the back of a Gideon Chamberlain goal. From there, the Thrashers exploded offensively, adding 5 more (Dustin Hoag, Gideon Chamberlain, Logan Gillingham, Dillon Stuebing, and Josh Chambers), and finished with a strong 6-0 win. Goaltender Daniel Peters held down the fort in goal for the shutout.

In their final round robin game, the Thrashers took on the Hamilton Sledgehammers for the first time this season. Forward Megan O’Brien and defenseman Logan Gillingham connected early in the first period for the historic first all-female goal in Thrashers history to get them out to an early lead. From there, the game was a tight back-and-forth affair, remaining 1-0 until the final minute of the game when Gillingham scored her second of the game, and centreman Dustin Hoag put the game out of reach, to make it a 3-0 final. Peters again had the shutout – his fourth of this early season.

Despite the undefeated record, the Thrashers finished second in their pool, which pitted them against the Ottawa Senators, the top team from the opposite pool. The Thrashers put up a strong effort, against a very talented and skilled team, but came out on the losing end of a 5-0 decision. Goaltender Daniel Peters made many incredible saves ensuring the game wasn’t much more one-sided, earning Player of the Game recognition.

With the loss, the Thrashers were relegated to the Bronze Medal game, where they faced the Cruisers Red Dawgs from the GTA. The game was incredibly close with chances at both ends. There was no scoring in either of the first two periods, thanks to strong goaltending and a few missed opportunities for both teams. Thrasher Dustin Hoag scored what proved to be the game-winning goal early in the third period, following that up with his second of the game as an insurance tally late in the period to ensure the Thrashers returned to Woolwich with bronze medals around their necks. Hoag was named Player of the Game for the second time during the Cruisers Cup, after previously winning the achievement in the game against The Wickenheisers. The Open Non- Contact Thrashers will next be in action at home against the Hamilton Sledgehammers on December 2nd.

The Intermediate Thrashers hoped some of the early fortunes of the Open Non-Contact team might rub off on them, as they competed in the Intermediate “C” division of the Cruisers Cup and were seeing game action for the first time this season. In their first game the Intermediate team faced off against the Hamilton Sledgehammers who proved to be strong competition. The game was close until the final minutes when Hamilton put the game out of reach with a 4-2 final score. Chaz Fisher and Matt Byars scored for the Thrashers, with Evan Kraayenbrink, Christy Campbell, and Andy Menkveld picking up helpers. After a deflating first loss, the Thrashers came out flat against a tough Cruisers Silver Streak team who took the game 5-0. In their final game the Thrashers hit the ice against Edmonton. Peter Papaioannou and Kevin Menkveld each scored a goal for the Thrashers in the second period to get them ahead 2-0, before allowing the opposition to claw back and tie the game, which ended 2-2. The Intermediate Thrashers will next be in action at the London Blizzard Invitational in January.

Team Picture - 

Centre: Goaltender Daniel Peters

First Row: Megan O’Brien, Jesse Chamberlain, Dustin Hoag, Nate McCarthy, Gideon Chamberlain, Dillon Stuebing, Logan Gillingham, Troy Clemmer, Josh Chambers, Hunter Karn, Michael Papaioannou, Jeramee Snethlage, Lucas Harrison

Back Row: Pusher John McCarthy, Manager Harold Chamberlain, Assistant Coach Keith Metzger, Coach, Mamie Seely-Baker, Trainer Rob Hoag, Pusher Melissa Papaioannou, Pusher Drew Bomhof

(missing Brandon Lalonde)