Biloski goal beautiful in the eyes of Silver Stick-qualified beholders

The Ward’s Automotive South Oxford U11 Storm qualified for the International Silver Stick (ISS) A tournament January 17-19th in Sarnia with a perfect 5-0 record at the ISS A qualifier in Collingwood November 15th to 17th. (Jeff Tribe Photo).

Jeff Tribe

Ward’s Automotive South Oxford U11 Storm Brody Biloski’s International Silver Stick (ISS) A Qualifier game and tournament clincher was a thing of impactful if not aesthetic beauty.

“It wasn’t a pretty goal, but I don’t care how they go in,” laughed coach Devin Homick. “They don’t ask how - they only ask how many.”

Regulation time was running out on the Sunday, November 17th ISS qualifier in Collingwood, a goal-less tie standing between South Oxford and the Woolwich Wildcats. But with under two minutes remaining, the Storm took advantage of a faceoff in the Woolwich zone. Won back to the point, the defenceman put the puck on goal, from where Biloski alertly capitalized.

“Just a jam play at the net,” said Homick.

The one-goal South Oxford lead stood up through the final 91 seconds, clinching both the tournament victory and a berth in the ISS A final, scheduled for January 17th to 19th in Sarnia.

“The kids played a heck of a team game, I would say,” Homick summed up. “Ecstatic,” he added.

“It’s a pretty big deal for them.”

The Storm entered the qualifier with previous tournament victories in Bradford and at its own event, along with a 23-1-1 record in Shamrock League A Division regular-season play, attributable says their coach to ‘a team game.’

South Oxford (geographically centred near Salford and including players from Tillsonburg and Ingersoll) plays in a loop including Dorchester, Strathroy, St. Marys, Norfolk (jointly based out of Simcoe, Waterford and Six Nations), Brant (Paris), St. Thomas, Mt. Brydges and New Hamburg.

A Ward’s Automotive U11 coaching staff led by Homick features three former Tillsonburg Thunder senior hockey teammates (assistant coach Shane Balcomb, goalie coach Tommy Lee and trainer Cody Chute ) along with assistant coach Eric Bartram.

"A good bench staff and a great group of kids,” said Homick of an effort to produce both quality hockey players ‘and good little leaders in their communities.’

“Our message to the kids is to play a defensive game, take care of our end first,” said Homick. “And the kids completely bought in.”

The Storm opened ISS qualifier tournament play with a 5-0 shoutout of Brant, building on a 1-0 first-period lead with four goals in the third frame. Carter Balcomb finished with four and Biloski added a single.

South Oxford shut out the Woodstock Jr. Navy Vets in its second outing, leading 2-0 after the first period and 3-0 heading into the third. Emerson Adam had two goals for the winners and Carter Smith, Biloski and Tommy Thomson one each.

The Storm closed out round-robin play undefeated and unscored upon with a 3-0 shutout of Barrie, Adam opening scoring in the second and Biloski and Thomson rounding the final with third-period markers.

South Oxford met the host Collingwood Jr. Blues in their semi-final, taking a 2-1 lead into the final minute before taking a late penalty giving up the tying goal with 19 seconds left in regulation, the Blues enjoying a six-on-four player advantage at the time.

“It’s a big momentum shift,” admitted Homick, whose message prior to overtime was to stick to the gameplan. “And let’s go get the job done.”

Adam, who along with Balcomb had scored in regulation, added the three-on-three game-winner with 4:20 remaining in OT, controlling the puck along the boards before deking out in front of the net.

“And kind of threw it back short side to beat a good Collingwood goalie,” said Homick. “We struggled to put pucks past that kid.”

Heading into the season, the ISS A tournament was among the Storm’s ‘big three’ major goals, a list including a league championship, which would also lead into Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) playdowns.

“I think if we stick to our game, we’ll have a chance,” he said specifically of the upcoming ISS tournament in Sarnia. “But again, it’s sports, so anything can happen.”