The Squirt Major team went a perfect 4-0 to win the Squirt AA division of the KC Fall Breakout tournament. With a 5-1 decisive victory over Russell Stover, the Firebirds were off and running. They were led by strong goaltending by Jack Sampson and solid defensive play by Jono Taylor, Conner Holloway, and Tyler Svendson. In their second game, the Firebirds Goalie Tristan Vanderbur pitched a 3-0 shutout to the St. Louis Rockets earning them a bye in the quarter finals sending them straight to the semi's.
In the semi finals, the Firebirds faced off with the Affton Americans, the 16th ranked Squirt AA team in the Nation. After a 1-1 score in the first period and killing off 3 penalties in the 1st period, the Firebirds rattled off 6 unanswered goals in the second to take a 7-1 lead. Joey Petruzzella helped lead the way with 2 goals and 3 assists. Tyler Anderson and Parker Villareal added 3 points each respectively as that forward line proved to be a force throughout the weekend scoring 11 goals collectively in the first 3 games. Sampson stood on his head late in the game and fended off a late third period flurry by Affton to lead the Firebirds to 7-4 victory.
In the championship, the Firebirds faced off against the KC Saints. The Firebirds got on the board early with a tic-tac-toe goal finished off by Tanner Snyder with Parker Arendts and Bryson Bartell getting the assists. Arendts added another goal late in the game with Snyder and Colton Kramer getting the helpers. The line of Leighton Fisk, Quaid McBean and Zack Martin showed their domination producing 4 goals, with Fisk and McBean both notching a pair. Carson Kosobud and Jake Hayton played great defense and Vanderbur shut the door to help the Firebirds secure the 6-3 victory and the tournament championship. |