The Walkerton Capitals would travel to the Minto MHA annual tournament on
Feb. 8, 2020 in Palmerston. Again the team would be short several players and
Ryan Graul would be playing net. The 8 teams playing would be a mixture of
local teams as well as teams from Waterloo region and the Oakville area.
The first game of the morning would see Walkerton play the host Minto Mad Dogs. Walkerton would open the scoring when Landon Young took a centering feed and beat the Minto goalie mid way through the first. Cayleb Pietz would would score seconds apart to give the Capitals a three goal lead. The other end of the ice would see Ryan Graul stop all shots sent on the Walkerton net. Walkerton would lead 3-0 after the first.
Walkerton would continue to press in the second period and Cayleb Pietz would complete the hat trick after jumping on a big rebound and firing the puck into the top corner of the net. The scoring would continue when Austin Cormack scored during a goal mouth scramble. The Capitals would limit the Mad dogs to very little time in the offensive zone with some great back checking and after the second period would hold a 5-0 lead.
During the third the Capitals would continue to press and Jacob Gridler would score on a wrap around after coming down the wing and recovering a blocked centering pass. Ryan Graul would pick up the shutout in net as the Capitals would win 6-0.
The second game and Walkerton would play a familiar foe in the Kincardine Kinauks. Both teams would come out quickly and test the goalies but neither side would flinch. The net minders were strong blocking and limiting rebounds throughout a scoreless first period. Walkerton would open the scoring in the second period when Cayleb Pietz beat the Kincardine net minder early in the period. Kincardine would respond moments later with two goals of there own, only to have the game tied when Cayleb split the defence and go five hole to even things up.
The two teams would continue to battle in the third period and Walkerton would take the lead when Jacob Gridler took the puck from his own end and on a partial breakaway while fighting off a defender would lift the puck past a diving kincardine goalie. Kincadine would turn up the pressure in the finals minutes firing for all over the rink but Ryan was equal to the task. Ryan would make several outstanding saves in the final seconds including a a glove save the was destined for the corner, to preserve the win and send Walkerton to the Championship game.
The Championship game would feature the Capitals play the Twin City Rangers from K-W. The game would start out quickly as the two sides battled for puck possession and attempts on net. Twin City would hold a 2-0 lead after 2 periods completed before exploding for 5 goals in the third and taking the game by a 7-0 final. The score was more lopsided then the game would indicate as Walkerton would hold possession time and test the Rangers goalie it was just that come this day he would not be beaten. The boys put in a long day and came up just a little short but played with heart.