NHLer maintains ties with community

In these parts (namely the former municipality of Valley East), Andrew Brunette is revered – and for very good reason.

First, there is the undeniable pride within the community that comes from seeing one of their own succeed, to the point of a 14-year NHL career that now sees Brunette inching ever closer to the 250-goal plateau as assistant captain of the Minnesota Wild.

But more important to these folks is the fact that he has maintained ties with so many of those from his childhood days of athletics. It’s still a common occurrence to find Brunette enjoying recreational soccer or slo-pitch with long-time minor hockey teammates, sharing memories from their days as Valley East Rebels.

And, of course, there is the Valley East Renegades Tournament.

Each and every year, Brunette showers the organizing committee, and ultimately many thankful young hockey players, with his generosity, in the form of donated prizes and gifts.

The latest installment of the event took place last weekend and amidst all of the appreciative boys and girls, there was plenty of great hockey to be seen.

Finals on Sunday afternoon produced plenty of excitement, with a handful of games decided by the slimmest of margins.

Kicking things off, Miguel Chevalier drilled the hat trick as Tim Hortons doubled the VEMHA Renegades 6-3 to walk away with junior tyke honours. Jacob Gardner added a pair of goals for the Timbits, with Mederic Bourdon chipping in with a single and Elizabeth Laberge enjoying a two-goal effort in a losing cause.

The out of town Tim’s crew were equally as successful as Elliot Lake Tim Hortons captured the senior tyke hardware with a 6-4 decision over Subway. Teegan Dumont registered a four-goal outing, leading the way for the winners, with Alexandre Antoine rounding out the scoring with a pair of markers.

Aiden Teeter (2), Ethan Teeter and Evan Cotnoir answered for Subway, who sat even at four early in the third before Elliot Lake pulled away with a pair of late goals. Julien Primeau broke a 4-4 tie, scoring his second goal of the game with 4:15 remaining, and Nicholas McAlpine added an empty-net marker as Verner Caisse Populaire bumped off Dixie Lee 5-3 in the novice C final.

Alex Bourque netted a pair of goals for Dixie Lee, who led 1-0 after the first and 2-1 after the second period of play.

Not quite so close in the novice B final as the Property Stewards received two goals each from Isaic Bovingdon and Tyler Rose in posting a convincing 6-1 win over the Sudbury Stingers.

A fast paced novice A affair found the underdog Neil’s Your Independent Grocer Cobras hang tough through the second period of play, before Teddy Shack pulled away for a 5-2 win. A balanced attack for the victors as Parker Bertrand, Zacharie Giroux, Kaitlyn Walker, Kendra MacMillan and Jadon Marmen all hit the scoresheet for Teddy Shack.

The atom C final produced the first overtime drama of the day, with Jacob Devine netting the game winner less than two minutes into the extra session as the Barrie Police Association clipped Verner Chevalier de Colomb 3-2.

No overtime was needed, but equally as close in the atom final as Brawley Presse scoreed the game’s only goal midway through the second period, as King Sportswear edged Hanmer Medical Parmacy 1-0. Nick Hillman recorded the shutout between the pipes for the Sportswear crew.

In atom B action, Top Tech Auto from Elliot Lake jumped out to a 4-0 lead and then held on for dear life as the Franco Cite Sting rallied late, eventually falling 4-3. Jordon Targett picked up the hat trick for the winners, while Kove Lafontaine did the same in a losing cause.

Patrick Godin was a one-man wrecking crew in the atom A championship affair, scoring all four goals as Popcorn Video blanked Northern Sports Photography 4-0. Robbie Bianchin chalked up the whitewash, turning aside all shots directed his way while tending the net for Popcorn.

Three third-period power play goals proved to be the difference as Michael Law Office rallied past Teddy Shack 4-3 in the peewee non-body contact final. Kyle Verhoeven, with a pair, Thomas Farrell and Dawson Horner found the back of the net for the legal beagles, with Jonathon Ferlotte, Kennisha Nebonionquet and Matthieu Belanger replying for Teddy Shack.

And in the closing Midget affair, Cameron Desjardins snapped a 1-1 deadlock in the third, lifting Food Basics past the Capreol Hawks 2-1. Nick Guzzo (Food Basics) and Anthony Madden (Capreol) traded first-period markers in a division that has seen incredibly close battles among the top three or four teams.

Randy Pascal is the voice of Eastlink Sports and the founder of SudburySports.com.