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24 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 2008 Minor bantams' victories give MOHA five Bell titles By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF One day after three Oakville minor peewee teams won championships at the Richard Bell Memorial Minor Hockey Tournament, it was the minor bantam Rangers' time to shine. The Oakville bantam AE (additional entry) and A squads won titles of their own Tuesday at Joshua's Creek Arenas, giving the Minor Oaks Hockey Association five of 14 division championships up for grabs at the association's annual tournament. The minor bantam AE Rangers rebounded from allowing an early goal to down the Burlington Bulldogs 4-2 in their final, while the minor bantam A Rangers blanked Burlington 2-0 in their championship game. Coverage of the minor peewee Rangers' victories appeared in Wednesday's edition of The Oakville Beaver. Minor bantam A goalie makes most of opportunity Aidan Pelino proved to be just as adept at deflecting attention as he was at blocking pucks. The Oakville minor bantam A Rangers netminder had watched from the bench as his team won two tournaments this year with Matthew Caccamo between the pipes. When Pelino got his chance to start a championship game Tuesday afternoon, he posted a shutout as the Rangers topped the Burlington Bulldogs 2-0 to win the KAREN NEWMAN / SPECIAL TO THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Richard Bell Memorial BREAKING OUT: Mackenzie Connor of the Oakville minor bantam A Rangers (right) charges up the ice with the puck on his stick during Tuesday's Richard Tournament. Bell Memorial Minor Hockey Tournament final at Joshua's Creek Arenas. Connor scored the game-winning goal as Oakville defeated the Burlington Bulldogs 2-0. Pelino turned away two breakaways in the game, but said it was more experienced than me," he hit the post. Pelino would come up "They're not trying to deke their seconds into the final of the Caccamo that deserved the credit. said. "It felt really good and I liked big again late in the period as he way through the whole team. Richard Bell Memorial Minor "Matt got us here," Pelino said. getting the chance." stopped a partial breakaway. They're fast, the move the puck Hockey Tournament Tuesday at "He got two shutouts and played He was tested again early in the well and I think they have a shot at Joshua's Creek Arenas, it wasn't Pelino's teammates helped ease great in the semis. He's an amazing any anxiety he was feeling when third, getting a piece of a shot to an Ontario title." exactly the start the Rangers were goalie and a great friend." Connor added, "This definitely looking for. Mackenzie Connor gave the foil another breakaway. Caccamo allowed "That got us pretty nervous," "I just try cutting off the angles gives us some momentum. We Rangers the only goal just one goal in three "It's my first year they would need, and getting good depth and you always try hard and do everything said the Rangers' Brett Russell. games, shutting out in A so (Matt Behind the bench, coach Shawn roofing a shot from have to watch the player, not the 100 per cent. Hopefully we can go Orillia 3-0 and Caccamo) is more McNamara wasn't too worried. His the side of the net puck," Pelino said of his strategy in all the way." Cooksville 2-0 before experienced than team had won all four of its games, just 2:29 into the the one-on-one showdowns. Minor bantam AE team backstopping Oakville me. It felt really beating each opponent in its diviIt paid off as, less than a minute game. solves tournament jinx to a 3-1 win over good and I liked sion to reach the championship Burlington would later, Palumbo scored to double Welland in the semis. getting the press for the tying Oakville's lead. For all the Oakville minor ban- game. Pelino had also been chance." "I knew it was a matter of time if The Richard Bell win was the tam AE Rangers' success this seagoal. A Bulldog playsharp in a pair of 6-2 Minor bantam A er rang a cross-ice latest triumph in a successful sea- son -- they're in first place and we played our game," McNamara victories over Ajax and Rangers goaltender one-timer off the son for the Rangers, who also have lost just two of 23 games in said of the goals he believed would Fort Erie. post. The rebound reached a Silver Stick tournament league play -- they've been eventually come. Aidan Pelino Pelino said he Less than a minute later, Russell came right back to final. The Rangers are 15-3-2 in snakebitten when it comes to tourunderstood why Caccamo started him but Pelino was there to make league play and have ambitions of naments. scored the first of four straight the previous two finals in Richmond the stop. Pelino then kicked out his winning an OMHA championship. The Rangers reached the final at Oakville markers as the Rangers Hill and Waterloo, but welcomed pad to stop a breakaway. "They're good hockey players competitions in Richmond Hill and went on to prevail 4-2 and claim the opportunity to play with a title Tony Palumbo made a bid to and they're following what the Georgetown, but had yet to bring their first tournament win of the on the line. extend Oakville's lead in the second coaches are telling them," said home the big prize. So when the year. "It's my first year in A so (Matt is) period but his wraparound attempt Rangers head coach Lane Bailey. Burlington Bulldogs scored just 14 See Rangers page 26