| Mar 21, 2018


So, with the opening weekend of Provincial championships completed at the Frontenac Community Arena, the action shifts out of town on March 24 and 25. If needed, the teams will be back in Piccadilly March 30 in the first-team-to-six points series. (and out of town March 31 if any series goes the full six games). Teams get two points for a win, one for getting to overtime. In tied games, there is one overtime period except for the sixth game which will continue until there’s a winner. There are no shootouts.

So, here’s how they stand going into next weekend.

The Atoms are up 4 points to zero over the Walkerton Capitals with wins of 5-4 and 5-4 heading back to Walkerton.

The PeeWees are down 4 points to zero to the Hanover Falcons after defeats of 2-5 and 0-4 heading back to Hanover.

The Bantams are notched at 2 points apiece with the Walkerton Capitals after a 1-4 loss on Saturday and a 3-1 win on Sunday heading back to Walkerton.

Atoms coach Jamie Craig said the key for his team is not “going to sleep” for little periods in the game.

“They’re (Walkerton) a good team and they came to play,” he said.

PeeWee coach Al Pixley also acknowledged his opponents.

“It’s the way it goes,” he said. “We seemed to take five minutes off which gave them chances.”

Bantam coach John Senior chalked up the opening loss to being rusty.

“We’ve been off a couple of weeks and you could see it out there,” he said after that first game. “The intensity wasn’t there and it’s the first time in 20 games we haven’t outshot the other team.

“We’ve got to want the puck more . . . be more selfish.”

In the second game, they were with a resulting win.

With three teams in the finals and its two other teams making the playoffs (the Novices were narrowly defeated in the semi-finals while the Midgets lost in the opening round), the Frontenac Flyers program is in good shape for long-term success.

This year’s Atoms have six players from last year’s Ontario Champion Novice team (Drake Thomas, Jack Craig, Mason Norgaard, Shane Kennedy and Rhett Coulson as well as coaches Jamie Craig and Craig Consack). As well, they feature sniper Wesley Jackson, goalie Tyson Young and Braden Dillon who look to move up.

The PeeWees look to stock the Bantams while the Bantams should bolster the Midgets.

And coach Craig puts the credit squarely on the shoulders of one man — president and current PeeWee coach Al Pixley.

“Al’s the reason we’re all here,” Craig said. “He’s the one who established all the development programs like power skating and others.”

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