The Niagara North Stars U18 AAA head into the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) championship weekend in Clarington with high expectations.
The North Stars take on Guelph Friday at 1 p.m. to kick off their schedule and head coach Brody Kritsch can’t wait to get started.
“Words can’t describe the feeling,” Kritsch said. “It’s why you coach.”
Stars captain James Lindsay is also champing at the bit to get going.
“I’m so excited,” the 18-year-old, Grade 12 student at Sir Winston Churchill said. “Last time I went (U15), going into it, our team didn’t really have a shot, but this year we have a great goalie, great defence. We score a lot of goals, so I really think have a chance to win it all.”
The North Stars finished in fourth place during the regular season but had success at the tournament level and then went 5-2-1 in the local playoffs to advance to the OMHAs.
Kritsch said he had an inkling this could be a special group from Day 1.
“I really went after character this year and guys that were competitive, guys that I could push in the summer, guys that were hungry,” he said. “We had our first showcase in Waterloo and they were executing some O-zone stuff that kind of blew me away with the puck movement.”
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