100 Mile Sport Shop Milers Midget Reps went to the limit with Quesnel Thunder to win the best out of three games and the right to represent the Cariboo Zone at provincials.
The hockey series went to the third game, which was played on Saturday night in 100 Mile House at the South Cariboo Rec Centre. Games one and two, held the previous weekend in Quesnel, saw the teams split the wins.
With the zone title and provincial pass on the line, both teams came out strong, but it was the Milers who opened the scoring midway through the first period with a shot from the point by Lukas Vitik.
Quesnel answered back with a breakaway goal and the scoring continued back and forth to a 3-2 lead for the Milers by the end of the period.
The energy level remained high into the second period, with Miler, Kevin Raimundo widening the gap to 4-2. 100 Mile dominated the beginning of the third period but Quesnel still managed to sneak one in between the posts and continued to try hard to even the score.
A strong Miler defense and six key faceoffs in the 100 Mile zone by Mark Boyce and Micky Turner kept them at bay.
The final five minutes of the game had the 100 Mile fans on their feet, cheering for a home team win which the Milers obliged with a 4-3 victory. Miler team captain, Kevin Raimundo, accepted the the Terry Moore Memorial Trophy for winners of the zone championship, on behalf of his team.
The team will next be looking for a provincial title at the 2011 Midget Tier 3 Championships from March 20-25 in Cranbrook.
During regular season play, the Milers had lost three out of four games to Quesnel and Tom Turner, safety trainer for the team says that winning the playoffs means they have improved dramatically. “As far as provincials are concerned, they have earned the right because of hard work and determination.”
