North Stars capture Big Nickel Tournament

NEWS RELEASE

SOO NORTH STARS

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North Stars Win Big Nickel Tournament Championship

The Sault Ste. Marie North Stars had a very successful weekend by capturing the Championship of the Big Nickel Tournament in Sudbury.

The North Stars are the first midget team from Sault Ste. Marie in a number of years to capture this prestigious Championship. The last time a midget team from Sault Ste. Marie was in a final at the Big Nickel was 1993 when the Mississauga Senators defeated the Soo Legion.

The Stars finished the round robin portion with a 3-1 record. Thursday they defeated the Quinte Red Devils by a 6-0 margin. In game two of the tourney on Friday the Stars defeated the Guelph Jr. Storm by a score of 3-2, then in the second game of the day they defeated the Timmins Majors by a score of 3-2. The lone game for the Stars on Saturday saw the Mississauga Ice Dogs defeat the North Stars by a 3-1 score.

With the 3-1 record the North Stars finished the round robin in second place in their division that put them in a quarterfinal game Saturday evening where they defeated the Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats by a score of 5-0.

This set up a semi-final match up verses the Richmond Hill Stars at 12:00 noon on Sunday where the North Stars defeated them by a score of 2-1.

The final at 6:00pm Sunday evening saw the North Stars take on the Mississauga Ice Dogs for the second time of the weekend with the North Stars winning by a score of 3-2 in the first period of over time. Thomas Gravelines recorded two shutouts during the weekend.

With the team having a successful weekend also brought a number of individual awards to the North Stars beginning with:

Top Goaltenders In Round Robin Play: Thomas Gravelines and Justin Hogsden

Most Valuable Player In Round Robin Play: Jerry Petingalo

F.McCool Memorial Award – Best Overall Team Player Kevin Closs

Tournament All-Star Team: Jerry Petingalo Forward

Next action for the North Stars will be this weekend, Saturday November 11 and Sunday November 12, when they take on the Kapuskasing Flyers for a pair of games at the John Rhodes Arena. Game times are Saturday at 7:00 pm and Sunday at 1:00pm.

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