Team NOHA finishes eighth at Gold Cup

A promising start gave way to a much tougher finish for Team NOHA as the 2013 OHL Gold Cup wrapped up Sunday in Kitchener-Waterloo.

A 3-2 overtime loss at the hands of Team HNO (Hockey Northwestern Ontario) relegated the NOHA crew to an eighth-place finish in a field of eight teams.

Ironically, it was a 2-1 overtime loss to the GTHL crew to open the tournament that provided some reason for optimism. That sentiment faded in Day 2 with back-to-back losses before Team NOHA sustained a 7-3 loss to Team OMHA (White) in the consolation semifinal on Saturday.

Sooites Jason Uhl and Adam McPhail scored early in the second period to tie the contest at 2-2. Unfortunately, by the time that Sudbury Nickel Capital Wolves' forward Eric Paquette closed out the scoring for the northern lads in the third, the scoreboard read 5-3, with the OMHA adding a pair of insurance markers.

With pride on the line in the battle for seventh and eighth place on Sunday, the NOHA broke the ice courtesy of a marker from defenceman Caleb Bowman of Sault Ste. Marie.

Zachary Grezelewski answered with a pair of goals for HNO less than four minutes apart, before Alex Morin evened the count at 2-2 heading to the third.

A scoreless final frame gave way to an extra session when Trevor Kavanaugh ended matters for the northwest squad, scoring at exactly the five-minute mark of overtime.

Adam McPhail topped all NOHA scorers with five points, with fellow Soo forwards Blake Speers and Matthew Caruso recording four points each.

Brody Brunet and Anthony Pelletier led the local talent, each one picking up a pair of points, while Garson native Cameron Lizotte, a second-round pick of the Peterborough Petes, was limited to just two games played.

Team ODHA (Ottawa) captured the 2013 tournament, tripling Team GTHL (Royal) 6-2 in the championship final.

There was some good news for the Sudbury Wolves' partisans as second-round OHL selection Troy Timpano was sensational in the bronze-medal game, stopping 45 of 48 shots directed his way in a 3-2 loss to Team Alliance.