Playoffs continue for Huron Heat teams as provincial championships loom
BY SHAWN LOUGHLIN
With the provincial championships right around the corner in early April, several Huron Heat teams are working through the tail end of their playoff runs, some finding a bit more success than others.
The U15 BB Heat, after winning series with the Stratford Aces and the Lakeshore Lightning, have posted a loss and two ties in their series with the Southpoint Stars (a 1-1 tie on the road on March 7 and a 2-1 loss in Clinton and a scoreless draw in Seaforth, both on March 8). The teams will now settle the score on the road on March 22 with games set for 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.
The U15 C Heat remain undefeated in the playoffs, posting 11 wins and two ties in games dating back to mid-January. Most recently, the team won its two games with the St. Thomas Panthers by identical scores of 2-0, first on March 1 in St. Thomas and again on March 6 in Goderich, followed by a 3-1 victory over the Stratford Aces in a playdown in Clinton on March 8.
The team’s final playoff game on the current schedule will see the Heat host the Ilderton Jets on March 13 in Hensall.
The U13 B Heat, after beating the Stratford Aces B team on Feb. 28 on the road, faced the team again on March 10 in Seaforth, but a score was unavailable at press time. They also tied the Stratford Aces at one twice, first on March 3 in Stratford and again on March 5 in Seaforth.
The U13 C Heat was hoping to avenge a March 1 playoff loss to the South Huron Sabres on the road on March 12, also on the road, but a score was unavailable at press time.
The U18 BB team lost to the Stratford Aces in a playdown on the road on March 1 by a score of 4-3 and then tied the Aces on March 7 in another playdown in Clinton, bringing the team to the end of its current playoff schedule.
The U18 B Heat was scheduled to play two playdowns with the St. Marys Rock on March 5 in Blyth and March 7 in St. Marys, but scores were unavailable at press time.
After losing eight playoff games, tying two and winning two, the U18 C Heat was scheduled to play the Rock in St. Marys on March 11 in their final game of the current playoff schedule, but a score was unavailable at press time. The team was riding the enthusiasm of a win over the South Huron Sabres in Hensall on March 6 by a score of 2-1.
The U15 A Heat lost their series with the South Huron Sabres after tying them at two on Feb. 27 in Seaforth and the losing by a score of 4-1 on Feb. 28 on the road and 4-2 in Seaforth on March 6 before winning their March 7 playdown with the Stratford Aces on the road by a score of 4-1.
The U15 B Heat were scheduled to play a last playoff game on the current schedule on March 11 in Mitchell against the Meteors, but a score was unavailable at press time. This comes after a tie with the St. Marys Rock in a playdown on March 5 in Seaforth and a playdown loss to those same Mitchell Meteors in Seaforth on March 6 by a score of 2-0.
The U13 HL Heat tied their playoff game with the Central Perth Predators at one in Seaforth on March 7. The teams were scheduled to play again on March 10, also in Seaforth, but a score for that game was unavailable at press time.
The U11 A Heat lost their playdown series with the Stratford Aces after a hard-fought five games.
The team lost game one in Brussels by a score of 4-1 on Feb. 24, followed by 2-1 and 1-0 wins on Feb. 26 and Feb. 28, both in Stratford, and then two losses - first by a score of 3-1 in Clinton on March 1 and then 2-0 in Stratford on March 4.
The U11 B team will be on the road on March 15 to face the Twin Centre Hericanes in their final playoff game on the current schedule. This comes after a 3-3 tie with the Walkerton Capitals on the road on March 7.
The U11 C Heat have their final playoff game on the current schedule tonight, March 13, with the Saugeen Shores Storm in Southampton. The team won its first playdown with the Upper Maitland Mustangs on March 3 by a score of 4-1 and then lost by a score of 1-0 on March 6 in Howick.
The U11 HL team tied its most recent playoff game on March 1 at two in Brussels with the Lambeth Lancers. The team was then scheduled to take on the Lucan Irish in Blyth on March 12, but a score was unavailable at press time.
This weekend, in regular season action, the U7 team will play an exhibition game with the Lambton Attack in Watford on Saturday and the U9 C team will play the Rock in St. Marys. The next day, the U9 C team will play the South Huron Sabres in Hensall and the U9 B Heat will travel to play two games with the St. Catharines Junior Badgers, all exhibition contests.
Then, looking ahead, on the weekend of March 27-29, the U9 C and U9 HL Heat teams will travel to St. Marys for the Western Ontario Girls Hockey League (WOGHL) Championships.
A few weeks later, on April 10-12, the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) Provincial Championships will go ahead across the Greater Toronto Area, with games taking place from Mississauga in the west and Vaughan in the north to Durham Region in the east. Thus far, the U9 B, U11 C, U13 B, U15 A, U15 BB and U15 C teams have punched their tickets and they will be there in April.