Stratford, ON – For the fourth time since 2015, the Waterloo Wolves will be spending March Break in Japan! This past Saturday, November 30th, the Minor Bantam AAA Waterloo Wolves faced off against the Minor Bantam AAA Kitchener Jr Rangers in the 2019 Toyota Hockey Challenge. This was the final match up following a series of round robin games which also featured the Minor Bantam AAA Cambridge Hawks. On the line for the Champion was an all-expenses paid, once-in-a-lifetime trip to Japan courtesy of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada.
The boisterous crowd was entertained with 3 exciting regulation time periods of hockey at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. The game was fast-paced and saw back and forth chances from both teams. The Jr Rangers scored the first goal of the game in the second period and headed into the third up 1-0. With just under 5 minutes left in the third period, the Waterloo Wolves tied the game at one goal each. After regulation time expired, the teams took to the ice for the first overtime period. Both teams had chances to end the contest but superb goaltending from each team extended the game into double OT. The Wolves eventually scored the game winner about 4 minutes into the double OT period.
With the win, the Waterloo Wolves Minor Bantam AAA team punched their ticket to Hokkaido, Japan in March of 2020 courtesy of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada!
Overall, both teams represented their Associations well and the game was truly one for the record books.
The excitement wasn't just on the ice as there were tons of great draw prizes handed out throughout the game including free base registration courtesy of WMHA, KMHA, and CMHA.
On Behalf of ALLIANCE Hockey, we send our sincere thanks to Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada for providing this special opportunity to our teams. We also thank all of our sponsors, Associations, volunteers, players and families for making the 2019 Toyota Hockey Challenge such a successful event!
