National champs
The Sting Juvenile boys won the National Championship held on the week of April 3 to 6 in Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec. Team members of the Sting are: (not in order) Joshua Webb, Nicolas Pilon, Justin McNairn, Kalin Gates, Maxime Paquette, Josh Lafrance, Erik Lafrance, Yanick Gignac, Ryan Wells, Jacob Wheeler, Yvrik Leclerc, Charles Fortin, Coen Eby, Xavier Leclerc, Bruno Leclerc, head coach; Zachery Leclerc, assistant coach; Ghislain Leclerc, trainer; Jasmine Leclerc and team manager; Chantal Leclerc. Courtesy photo
RIVIÈRE-DU-LOUP QC—The Eastern Ontario Sting travelled to Rivière-du-Loup in Quebec (located about half an hour from the New Brunswick border) for the 2019 Juvenile National Broomball Championships from April 3 to 6. The Sting went into the tournament as defending champions after winning the 2018 national championship and looked to make it two in a row.
The Sting also won the national championship in 2012 both wins were a part of the Triple Crown, winning the regionals, provincials and nationals all in the same year according to team manager, Chantal Leclerc.
The Sting opened the tournament with a 3-1 victory over the Kilsyth Flyers on Wed., April 3, and in the second game of the day dropped a 1-0 decision to the Quebec Blitz. On day two of the tournament, the Sting opened the day with a 4-1 defeat of the Bruno Axemen on Thurs., April 4, and in the second game of the day they knocked off Team Manitoba with an impressive 7-0 win.
On the third day, Fri., April 5 the Sting were the visitors as they took on the Quebec Frost and lost their second game of the tournament 3-2. With a record of 4-2, the Sting tied for first in the A side of the tournament and faced off against the Quebec Frost in the semifinal in their second tilt of the day.
The Sting dominated the Frost and picked up a 4-0 victory and headed to the final on Sat., April 6. In the final, the Sting took on the Kilsyth Flyers. The teams battled to a scoreless first period. The Sting opened the scoring at 5:35 of the second period as Charles Fortin scored from Yvrik Leclerc and Ryan Wells.
The Flyers tied the game at 16:47 but neither team was able to score the game winner so the game headed to overtime. In overtime, the Sting scored 5:01 in as Joshua Webb blasted home from Justin McNairn taking the championship for the second year in a row. Wells finished the tournament with six goals and seven assists and was named tournament MVP.
