Some late heroics on the part of the Midget Burrards B2 team catapulted them to a tournament win in Merritt recently.
The Burrards used a last-minute goal and natural hat-trick by sniper Jordan Acs in the final frame against arch-rival Chilliwack to secure a 4-3 to win the Thunder in the Valley tournament.
Trailing 3-1 going into the third, the Burrards played relentless defensive while Acs did the rest on offense, said coach Dan Morais.
He said his team showed great resiliency throughout the tournament, especially coming back against a very difficult opponent.
“It was a big game for us,” said the coach. “We hosted our own tournament earlier in the year and it didn’t go as well, so it was nice to get a win. They are always surprising me, to tell you the truth.”
The comeback was complete when Acs notched the winner in dramatic fashion, bulging the twine with 51 seconds left in the third.
Morais said goaltender Adam Bennett also deserves high praise for keeping his team in the game, not mention his strong play throughout the tournament. The Burrards tied Chilliwack earlier in the tournament, the only thing that resembled a blemish on their weekend. This was the team’s fourth match against its rivals from Chilliwack this season and was the fourth straight game to be decided by one goal.
“They’re a really strong team, a tough opponent,” said Morais. “They’re proving to be our nemesis, so it was a good win.”
The Burrards went 2-0-1 in the preliminary round and defeated the Surrey Rebels 10-8 in the semi-finals to advance to the gold medal match.
