The Ontario University Ball Hockey League schedule for 2016-2017 is a tournament format, meaning each school hosts a tournament during the year where all teams play each other in round-robin play and then have a 1 game "playoff" for top spot. Last weekend the Badgers were in Waterloo to face Carleton, Laurier and the Warriors 
 
Game 1 Brock 3 Laurier 1
Laurier is a new team this year and has some talent. But the Badgers got off to a hot start and went up 2-0 on goals by Chris Grenier and Josh Soares.  After that outstanding play by the Laurier goaltender kept it close for two periods. Laurier eventually scored early in the 3rd frame to make it a 2-1 game.  The action was back and forth but Chris Grenier scored a timely insurance goal about halfway through the third to provide insurance. Centerman "smooth" Shayne Gibson had helpers on both Grenier tallies and strong defensive play by Brendan Christian and Adam Kirchmayer blunted myriad Laurier attacks to help preserve the win.  Pat Martin was outstanding between the pipes to net the win. 
 
Game 2 Brock 3 Waterloo 2
After an 8 hour wait we were back on the big floor against a rapidly improving Waterloo team.  This game followed similar script as game 1 as the Badgers got off to a 2-0 lead thanks to goals by Josh Soares and Alex Mighton. Although chance followed chance the Badger forwards were dogged by bad luck and posts and the score remained at 2-0 until Waterloo finally scored near the end of the second period to half the Badger lead and then scored with about 5 minutes to go to knot the game at 2's.  The Badgers quickly responded though with a blast from the point by Josh Soares off a clean faceoff win by Brandon Bedminster to go up 3-2.  Strong defensive play by the Badger "grind line" of Quinn Strychaluk, Brandon Bedminster and Brad Hawes helped preserve the win as did outstanding goaltending by Pat Martin.  
 
Game 3 Carleton 4 Brock 3
With a guaranteed berth in the finals the Badgers faced their nemesis the Carleton Ravens in game 3.  A Badger lineup replete with rookies go toe-to-toe with the Ravens in a very fast and entertaining game. This game was on a different and much smaller surface and the 4 on 4 required a different tactical approach.  The first few minutes saw the Badger goaltender face shot after shot but Matt Milliere was up to the task with save after save. Eventually Carlton broke through to go up 1-0.  A back and forth game saw us tie it on a Brody Haramis snipe halfway in the first frame but Carlton again took a one goal lead later in the frame. But the Badgers bounced back when Kyle Charko tied it at 2-2 with an unstoppable  blast from the point early in the second. In the third Carlton once again took a one goal lead but Luc Chambers tied it minutes later on anther long distance bomb.  Both teams had chance after chance down the stretch but it was Carleton who netted the winner with only 2 minutes to go. Although the Badgers took a rare loss it was a strong effort by Matt Milliere in net, returning veterans Chris Farrell and Bolton Kirkopolous and first year rookies up front (Anthony Porcari, Quinn Strychaluk, Luc Chambers, Kyle Charko) against a veteran Carleton squad which bodes well for the future.   
  
Game 4 Brock 8 Carleton 3
The final was a rematch of game 3.  The Badgers obviously saved their best for last and the result was a dominant win. The Badger top lines came out hot with Chris Grenier scoring twice on the first shift and Blake Mezzarabo adding one on the second. Then a string of 6 straight penalty calls against the Badgers derailed their momentum and lines and allowed the Ravens to close to 3-2.  But once we were allowed to play even strength for even a few minutes the Badgers expanded their lead with a key goal by Josh Soares with his patented wrister from the slot.  Carleton didn't quit though and managed to net another PP goal to make it 4-3.  Then came the turning point in the game as Devin McCloy scored twice on the same shift with two ridiculous power snipes and it was suddenly 6-3 for the Badgers.  Great 2-way work by Luc Chambers was a key in this frame when the game was close. A Brody Haramis gaol at the end of the second made it 7-3 and Chris Grenier capped off his hat trick with a nice deflection goal to make it a decisive win for the Badgers.  Despite the score Pat Martin was once again a key figure in the win as he held the fort during the many manpower disadvantages the Badgers faced early when the game was close. 
 
Summary
Despite missing a couple of their top guns the Badgers won a key tournament and are now 6-1 on the season against university teams.  With the exception of the last game the trend so far over the first two tournaments of the year (Carlton and Waterloo) has been a lot of close games and 1 goal wins.  Great goaltending by Martin and Milliere have been key in these wins as has the strong defensive play of the defense corps led by Josh Soares and Brendan Christian but including Noah Hoffman, Deyn Rodrigues, Kyle Charko, Adam Kirchmayer, Chris Farrel and Bolton Kirkoff.
 
The Badgers will host their university tournament the weekend of January 26-27, 2018.