Written by Hockey Analyst Donnie Shulzhoffer

Pictures by Amy Lecroix

The 2015-2016 North Franklin Shamrocks Squirt A team season has been moving right along at a fast pace. Leading up to the month of November the team has been challenged at every level. Here is an up-to-date recap of the Shamrocks Season.

Some early season action saw the Shamrocks fall 7-3 to the St. Lawrence Steel AA Peewee team and tie the Eastern Ontario Cobras AA team 4-4. Also the Shamrocks traveled to Gloucester to battle the Rangers, which are a very high ranked AAA team by My Hockey Rankings. The Rangers defeated the Shamrocks 7-1.

In the month of September the Shamrocks were just starting to gel and getting to know all their new teammates by name when they travelled to the Green Mountain Avalanche Tournament @ Jay Peak Vermont for the September AA Showdown. They started off with a 9-1 victory over the AY Northstars from Mass. Next up was the Nepean Raiders A team which the Shamrocks defeated 8-3. Game 3 was with the Ottawa Valley Silver Seven AA team. This game was a low scoring game with 3-2 loss, but it did set the table for another date in championship with the Silver Seven from Ottawa. In the Championship the short staffed Shamrocks fell 8-5 to the Silver Seven. It was a great bonding tournament that let many of the new teammates get to know one another.

Next up for the Shamrocks was a weekend home and home series with the Ottawa Sting AA. The first game in Ottawa the Shamrocks led the Sting 3-1 after 2 periods but were defeated 8-4. On Sunday in North Franklin the Shamrocks came out flat and found out the hard way you need to show up for every game, as they were defeated 6-1.

The Squirt Smash AA tournament held in Onondaga Nation Arena was next up for the Shamrocks and they headed there well prepared with 2 weeks of practice and lots of energy to unload. On Friday night the boys took to the ice against the home team Valley Eagles. It was a sloppy game that looked like the boys had some road legs from traveling all day, but the Shamrocks battled and managed to find a way to salvage a 3-3 tie. In the morning the team took on the Rochester Americans AAA team. In a hard fought game the Shamrocks were tested and showed their grit and determination to pull off a 3-0 victory. Getting the shutout was Tristan Shoniker. In the next game of the tourney, Rick Chatland answered with another shutout over the Wheatfield blades AAA team 9-0. On Sunday morning the pace seemed slow, but the Shamrocks sent the New Hartford Spartans packing from the tournament with a 9-2 victory and the first place seed in the championship game of the Valley Squirt Smash Tournament. In the Championship the Rocks defeated New Jersey Spartans AA 7-3. This was the Shamrocks 1st tournament championship of the season.

In the month of November the Shamrocks headed to Pickering for the Panthers "Bring Your AA Game" tournament. On Friday afternoon the Shamrocks played the Timmins Northstars. Once again you could tell the Rocks had their bus legs on but still managed to get out of the arena with a 3-1 victory. Next up was a battle with the Seaway Valley Rapids. The Rapids struck first but Tristan Shoniker shut the door the remainder of the game and the Shamrocks defeated the Rapids 5-1. Saturday the Shamrocks found themselves playing a very good home team in the Pickering Panthers. This game was very hard fought, but the battle tested Shamrocks skated away with a 4-2 victory. In the Saturday afternoon game the Shamrocks were playing for first place with the Halton Hills Thunder. In the end the Shamrocks secured first place with a 5-3 win over Halton.

Heading into Sunday's semi finals it was down to 4 teams Pickering 4th seed vs. North Franklin 1st seed, Ted Reeve 2nd seed vs. Halton Hills 3rd seed.

In the early morning semi game the Shamrocks were down 1-0 after one, but Rick Chatland put up a solid performance in net and the Rocks found the back of the net 3 times to secure a spot in final with 3-1 score.

The Shamrocks came out flying in the final and never looked back as they defeated the Halton Hills Thunder 5-2 in the Championship game and brought home the title of Pickering Panthers "Bring your AA Game" Champions. This tournament win also gives the Shamrocks back-to-back tournament wins and three straight tournament championship appearances.

Pickering Tournament Box scores

Game 1 Timmins Northern Allied Northstars 1 vs. North Franklin Shamrocks 3

Shamrocks scoring:

Goal #10 Carey Terrance, Assisted #9 Rylan Adams

Goal #15 Thomas Eggleston unassisted

Goal #37 Trysen Sunday unassisted

In net Rick Chatland with the win

Game 2 Seaway Valley Rapids 1 vs. North Franklin Shamrocks 5

Goal #37 Trysen Sunday unassisted

Goal #10 Carey Terrance unassisted

Goal #37 Trysen Sunday assisted by #3 Caiden Cartier

Goal #10 Trysen Sunday assisted by #12 Kade Cook

Goal #5 Evan Collette assisted by #19 Chase Sessions

In net Tristan Shoniker with the win

Game 3 Pickering Panthers 2 vs. North Franklin Shamrocks 4

Goal #2 Ryan Rutley

Goal #10 Carey Terrance assisted by #2 Ryan Rutley & #9 Rylan Adams

Goal #2 Ryan Rutley assisted by #10 Carey Terrance & #9 Rylan Adams

Goal #37 Trysen Sunday assisted by #27 Luke Miller

In Net Rick Chatland with the Win

Game 4 North Franklin 5 vs. Halton Hills Thunder 3

Goal #9 Rylan Adams

Goal #37 Trysen Sunday assisted #5 Evan Collette & #9 Rylan Adams

Goal #5 Evan Collette assisted by #19 Chase Sessions

Goal #81 Fire Swamp assisted by #10 Carey Terrance & #2 Ryan Rutley

Goal #10 Carey Terrance unassisted

Tristan Shoniker with the win in nets

Game 5 Semi final Pickering Panthers 1 vs. North Franklin Shamrocks 3

Goal #10 Carey Terrance unassisted

Goal #10 Carey Terrance #27 Luke Miller

Goal #10 Carey Terrance unassisted

In Goal Rick Chatland with the Win

Game 6 Championship North Franklin Shamrocks 5 vs. Halton Hills Thunder 2

Goal #10 Carey Terrance assist #2 Ryan Rutley & #9 Rylan Adams

Goal #15 Evan Collette assist #15 Thomas Egglston & #3 Caiden Cartier

Goal # 10 Carey Terrance

Goal #10 Carey Terrance assisted #12 Kade Cook & #8 Jon Kratts

Goal #2 Ryan Rutley assisted by #10 Carey Terrance & #81 Fire Swamp

In nets Tristan Shoniker with the win

Meet the Shamrocks: #1 Rick Chatland (Ft. Covington), #2 Ryan Rutley (Potsdam), #3 Caiden Cartier (Ft. Covington), #5 Evan Collette (Ft. Covington), #8 Jon Kratts (Saranac), #9 Rylan Adams (Akwesasne), #10 Carey Terrance (Akwesasne), #12 Kade Cook (Ft. Covington), #15 Thomas Eggleston (Massena), #19 Chase Sessions (Norwood), #27 Luke Miller (Ft. Covington), #31 Tristan Shoniker (Summerstown), #37 Trysen Sunday (Akwesasne), #81 Fire Swamp (Akwesasne).

North Franklin Shamrocks Squirt A 2015-16 upcoming tournaments

Nov. 13th to 15th - Montreal Tournament

Nov. 27th to 29th - Rochester Tournament

Dec. 11th - Vaughn Kings Classic

Dec. 31st - Bell Cup Ottawa

Jan. 15th - Limestone Cup Kingston