All Tourney team member Landon Parker looks on as the Game Winning Goal sails into the net for the Buckeyes
The Buckeyes beat the Wolverines 4-3 to win the PeeWee Challenge Sunday at Bloomington Ice Garden. They were lead by a three goal surge in 4 minutes to lift them to the win. Tournament MVP Joey Pierce capped off the comeback with a shot that hit a Wolverine player in front and escaped the glove hand of Wolverine Goalie into the net.
After Max Zupfer scored his second goal of the day for the Wolverines, they lead 3-1 and appeared headed to a tourney win. The Buckeyes were a physically superior team compared to the rest of the field. They had big boys Jackson Kunz (Grand Forks, ND), Landon Parker (East Grand Forks, ND) and Joe Greniuk (Elk River) and a few nice skill players like Brandon Reller (Maple Grove), Evan Pahos (Edina) and Luke Mittelstadt (Eden Prairie). This team wasn't going to go down without a fight.
Parker scored first on a pretty snipe and then his neighbor to the west, Kunz, showed the fans what a hard shot looks like going top shelf to tie it a few minutes later to tie it. And then on the same shift, Pierce got the game winner.
Max Zupfer scores one of his two goals Sunday for the Wolverines
Joey Pierce after he was named Tourney MVP Sunday
F Joe Miller, Badgers (MPLS) - has the most tools of any player in Minnesota. Period. He could make me look better out there.
F Landon Parker, Buckeyes (EGF) - big and fast is fun to watch, but add in ice smarts and you have a dangerous player. Parker lead the PWC with 11 points.
F Jackson Kuntz, Buckeyes (Grand Forks, ND) - talented player that had great size and a wicked shot.
D Owen Baumgartner, Wolverines (Owatonna) - one fan approached me on Saturday and asked, "who is 13 for Blue...kid can really play?" At that point, it confirmed what we already knew about the slick skater Baumgartner.
D Joey Pierce, Buckeyes, (Ely) - Pierce attended our NOW Prospects Combine this past Summer. Here is what one evaluator wrote of Pierce, "a do it all defenseman who made play after play in all zones over the course of the week. Very impressive hands and hockey sense that compliment his great natural skills of skating, shooting and puck handling." Pretty much sums up what hundreds saw this weekend at BIG.
G Kiron Morioka, Badgers (MPLS) - hard to beat on first and second attempts - if possible, seems to be improving his technical skills. One of three Minneapolis goalies that played this weekend at the PeeWee Challenge.
MVP Joey Pierce, Buckeyes (Ely)