Atom AA's Answer the Bell

At a time when the Atom AA Rangers would normally be passing the jam in homes all around Gloucester, they were passing the biscuit at Scotiabank Place. And when they finished, they skated off the ice with a cupboard full of Bell Capital Cups.

The Rangers kicked off the tournament by playing some of their best hockey of the season, posting convincing 4-0 victories over both Kingston and Nepean. But the Rangers ran into traffic courtesy of their final round robin opponent, the New England Jr. Falcons. The Falcons outworked the Rangers; the Rangers giving them the opportunity to do so by watching too much of the game from the penalty box where they could neither score nor defend. The outcome: an unexpected and humbling 3-1 loss. It turned out to be just what the Rangers needed. Fortunately for the Rangers, the loss didn’t prevent the team from winning their pool and advancing to the quarter-finals. It also reminded the players that effort, teamwork and discipline makes all the difference. In the quarter-finals, the freshly tuned Rangers turned back a determined Ottawa Sting team by a score of 6-1. Only the Seaway Valley Rapids stood between the Rangers and the championship final. In their lone previous head-to-head match, the Rapids lived up to their name, while the Rangers played as though they expected more of a gentle current; the result was a 5-1 win by the Rapids. This time, with the trip to the Bell Capital Cup final on the line, both teams knew they faced a formidable opponent. The outcome was settled in thrilling fashion in double-overtime: 4-3 Rangers. The joy was tempered by the sobering reality of 5:00am wake-up calls for seventeen boys all over Gloucester. Their opponent: the Kanata Blazers.

Monday morning at Scotiabank Place came early for the Rangers and their supporters. Of the seats that were taken, every one was full. In some cases there were even two people in one seat; all there to cheer on the Rangers or the Blazers, or both. It was East vs. West, with some in the middle; a Canadian moment if ever there was one. Kanata struck first, a power play goal that gave the Blazers a lead they held for two periods. With the clock counting down the third period, and the Rangers playing with ever-increasing urgency, Kanata worked hard to preserve their lead, knowing they couldn’t let up for one minute. It took less than that. In 38 seconds the Rangers struck twice to take the lead. Eight action-packed minutes later, and the Rangers celebrated the championship.

In regular season action, the Rangers improved their record to 16 wins, 4 losses, and one tie – good for first place in the league, but with strong teams challenging the Rangers every time they play.

Submitted by Bruce Fanjoy