Date Added: 3/16/2010
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 2cbradmin
 jnjlakegmail.com

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The CBR Renegades have captured something that has eluded Coach John Baldwin too often in recent years – the Tri-Com Bantam A Championship. The team did it in exciting fashion by taking their arch rivals, the Avalon Celtics, to overtime shoot-out before winning it 3-2 at O’Hehir Arena in the fifth and deciding game on Monday night.

The game began with hard bodychecking and aggressive forechecking by both teams. Scoring opportunities were hard to come by in the first period because of it. The best chance for the Celtics in the first ten minutes came on a Brett Vokey – Marcus Cuomo 2 on 1 that Mitch Puddester foiled like he did on most occasions all night.

After CBR sniper Liam Hynes missed from in close on Brandon Goodwin with about 3:30 to go in the period, the Celtics came back to open the scoring on a Ben Cleary shot from the slot on a nice feed from Harry Noftle with 3:08 to go in the first.

Celtics held the edge in play in the opening frame but Mitch Puddester kept his team in it with timely saves and rock solid composure as the Celtics swarmed the net repeatedly. A super glove save by Puddester to deny Nathan Yetman late in the period kept the lead at 1-0 at the buzzer.

Kris Hodge was a leader on the ice all game for the Renegades and his strong two-way play was rewarded in the fourth minute of the middle frame when his neutral zone forecheck caused a turnover, allowing him to make a terrific no-look drop pass to Liam Hynes, who promptly blasted it top corner to tie the game. With both sides sticking to their game plans and taking little defensive risk in the second period, scoring opportunities were limited as momentum swung back and forth.

In the third period, Hynes took a pass from Hodge and stepped across the blue line to unleash a cannon slapshot that caromed of the post and crossbar and quickly in and out of the net at 2:41 of the third period to give CBR the lead. Goodwin came right back to rob Hodge a minute later with a big glove save to keep it close.

The Celtics pressured the Renegade defense towards the end of the period and finally broke through when Cuomo’s quick snap shot tied the game with just 1:12 left to play. Josh Crane assisted on the goal.

In the overtime shoot-out, Carter Marissen led off for the Renegades but his deke move failed. Garrett Vincent met a similar fate when Puddester made a fine paddle save to keep him off the board. Liam Hynes then used a fake slapshot and backhand deke move to score for the visitors. When Cuomo’s shot rung off the post the stage was set for Kris Hodge and he delivered a backhander over Goodwin for the victory. The shoot-out was the third of the series.

The championship game showcased some of the League’s best talent and entertained a very appreciative crowd. Congrats to both teams!