Greater Battle Creek Ice Hockey Association
Tell them a Bruin sent you!
Bruin News
Back row L to R: Mike Bruce, Coach Mike Schmidt, Mike Bailey, Aaron Holso, Ian Davis, Derek Bluth, Corey Engle, Nick Manson, John Ebbing, Travis Elegert
Battle Creek Bruins Midget AA Takes 2008 Little Caesars Patrick Division Championships
In an honor typically reserved for Detroit teams, the Battle Creek Bruins Midget AA team won their Little Caesars Amateur Hockey League Division Playoffs this past season.
The road to the championships started with playoff games starting on January 26 against the Michigan Travelers playing out of Fraser, Michigan. The Battle Creek Bruins lost that game 6-2. Next on the schedule came a game against the Woodhaven Midget AA team which ended in a 5-2 victory. February 9 the Battle Creek Bruins tied the Michigan Hurricanes 5-5. As the playoffs continued the Bruins buried the Jackson AA team 10-4. On February 19th the Battle Creek Squad beat Southfield 7-4. On February 24 the Bruins met the Michigan Hurricanes again, and the Bruins won that game 6-2.
The Battle Creek Bruins Midget AA team then headed to the Division Championships.
The final season game was held at Dearborn Ice Skating Centre on Sunday, March 16th against the Michigan Travelers, who the Bruins lost to the first game of the playoffs.
After the first period the Bruins were down 2 – 0, they gave up a power play goal as well as a short handed goal. Midway through the 2nd period John Ebbing made a great stretch pass to Joey VanGeison, who had snuck behind the Travelers defense and finished with a great move to make it 2 - 1. Towards the end of the 2nd period Corey Engle cleared the puck high over the Michigan Travelers Defense and Jeff Barnes won the foot race to the puck finishing with a great back hand goal to tie the game.
Early in the 3rd the Travelers mounted their comeback and scored on a great redirection on Goalie Ian Davis to go ahead 3 - 2. Jeff Barnes ended up getting a great rebound goal on a flurry of shots to tie the game 3 - 3. Then on a power play, Jeff Barnes moved the puck across the top of the circles to Corey Engle who let one go on a GREAT slap shot that found the short side of the net to make it 4-3. The Travelers then pulled their goalie with just under 1 min to go in the game and we were on the penalty kill to make it 6 skaters against 4. The Bruins made 2 great escapes clearing the zone and forcing the Travelers to regroup eating up precious time. Mike Bruce had 2 amazing shot blocks during the last minute flurry as the Travelers were throwing all their shots at the net. Jeff Barnes ended up intercepting a defense to defense pass and back handed the puck the length of the ice and into the empty net making it 5-3 with less than a half a minute in the game.
Team Captain Jeff Barnes had 3 goals and 1 assist in the game. Corey Engle was credited with 1 goal and 1 assist, Joey VanGeison added 1 goal and John Ebbing 1 assist.
Goalie Ian Davis stopped 36 of 39 shots. The Bruins were out shot 39 to 19 in the game but were able to capitalize on Travelers mistakes and breakdowns to win the game and the Championships.
The team was coached by Head Coach Mike Schmidt, Assistant Coaches Bob Elegert and John Hurdis.
Website provided by Net Magik Pros
