Blue Bombers boys hockey team hoping for extended playoff run

Huron Park goalie Kayden Eyre tries to get across his crease in time to deny a tip during an IDCI power play. (Jeff Tribe Photo)

Jeff Tribe, Echo Correspondent

The Ingersoll DCI Blue Bombers 7-0 shutout of the Woodstock Huron Park Huskies may have been one of the feistier Thames Valley Regional Athletics Southeast boys hockey games of the regular season.

But that was quickly forgotten amongst at least two of the former combatants.

“See ya,” said Huskie Drew Roth as he passed Blue Bomber Kellen Whetstone in the hallway outside the IDCI dressing room.

“See ya, boss,” Whetstone responded to the retreating back of a player, who, short minutes earlier, had been wearing a different coloured uniform during a fierce on-ice rivalry. Outside of high school hockey, the two are teammates on the Tavistock Junior Braves U18 team, the latter explained, adding an element of bragging rights to a TVRA outing that both had left on the ice, ready to lace up their skates as comrades again.

“That’s hockey,” shrugged Whetstone, who had contributed a goal and an assist to the lopsided outcome.

“It was nice to get on the scoresheet a bunch.”

IDCI’s Jeremy Stiles opened scoring just over five minutes into the first (15-minute) period, firing the puck home from the slot on assists to Ryan Gregg and Jack Stead. Whetstone upped the advantage to two roughly midway through the frame, banking the puck home off the post on a two-on-one set-up from Kaelyn Howard and Ethan Kish. Stiles went five-hole for his second of the period and season, officially unassisted with 6:35 to play in the first.

“Nice to score finally,” he said, enjoying both the game’s tone and outcome. “I like it better,” Stiles added. “And always take a win.”

Stead (from Gregg and Nathan Muller) and Kish (Kolten Winkworth) added second-period goals. Tyler Fleming, unassisted, and Josh Robles (Kish) rounded IDCI scoring in the third.

“Hard-fought game, the boys are looking forward to the next one,” said Huron Park captain Cohen White, giving credit to the Blue Bombers for outplaying them on the day. “We didn’t quit, we just played the game to the end.”

“The boys were excited for this one,” added Huskies coach Cam Mordue. “They were looking for a different outcome, but it was fun, it was fun.”

IDCI goalie Riley Vyse kept the sheet clean for the Blue Bombers.

“Not too many shots,” he said. “(But) a shutout is a shutout.”

Vyse was also between the pipes for the Bombers’ 4-3 loss to the TVRA Southeast leading and undefeated 6-0 Tillsonburg Gemini the week before.

“Right there with them,” said Whetstone. “I think that proves how far we’ve come this season and how far we’re hoping to go.”

The Bombers currently sport a 3-2 won-lost record, tied for fourth place with the Woodstock St. Mary’s Warriors. Lord Dorchester, having played an extra game on both, is a point ahead with Parkside in second at 5-1.

“We’re just trying our hardest to make the playoffs,” said Vyse. “I think we could have a good shot at it this year.”

A lot of team members are in Grade 12, added Whetstone, hoping to finish their high school careers strong. Additionally, it’s coach Chris Adkins’ final season.

“We want to leave him something to remember,” Whetstone concluded, pointing out Adkins has contributed ‘endless hours to the Blue Bombers program, with multiple teams.’

“He deserves a big one.”