Hounds pee wee minors dominate
Soo Greyhounds pee wee minors have a first-round playoff bye due to a dominant regular season within the Northern Ontario AAA Hockey League.
Not only did the Greyhounds finish atop the standings with a near-perfect record of 19-0-1 but they featured eight of the top 10 scorers and the top two goal-tenders in the NOHL’s pee wee minor division.
The Soo will await the winner of the North Bay Trappers-Nickel City Sons series before beginning its pursuit of the NOHL pee wee minor playoff crown.
Individually, Tyson Doucette of the Greyhounds led the NOHL in scoring with 22 goals, 18 assists, 40 points.
Other Greyhound skaters who finished among the league’s top 10 scorers were Calem Mangone, Devin Mauro, Christian Omollo, Nathan Palmer, Eben Leadbetter, Ashton Lemieux and Connor Toms.
Mangone had 17 goals, 20 assists, 37 points followed by Mauro at 12-18-30, Omollo at 13-16-29, Palmer at 11-16-27, Leadbetter at 8-17-25, Lemieux at 9-10-19 and Toms at 13-5-18.
Between the pipes, Ariella Merlino of the Greyhounds led all NOHL pee wee minor goalies with 11 wins and a 1.83 goals against average.
Merlino’s net-minding partner, Noah Metivier, had the second-best numbers in the league with 8 wins and a 2.35 goals against average.
Merlino and Metivier divided time equally in goal.
Besides playing within the NOHL, the Greyhound pee wee minors faced off against top Ontario and Michigan competition over the course of the regular season.
In all, the Soo pee wee minors played 58 games and posted an impressive record of 41-13-4 during the regular term.
The Greyhound pee wee minors are part of Sault Minor Hockey and are led by a staff that includes head coach Dave Doucette, assistant coach Jeff Toms, goalie coach Sav Beltrano, manager Steve Fenlon and trainer Vince Merlino.
Of note, Doucette and Toms both played in the Ontario Hockey League for the Soo Greyhounds.
Toms became a rising star over three OHL seasons with the Greyhounds and was part of the 1993 Memorial Cup championship team. Toms, who scored 52 goals in his final season with the Greyhounds in 1993-1994, then went on to play in 237 games in the National Hockey League before heading to Europe for several more years of activity.
PHOTO: Calem Mangone finished among the league scoring leaders for the Soo Greyhounds pee wee minors during NOHL regular-season play. (Photo by Ali Pearson.)
Congrats to all our players and coaching staff!! Another great year.
two very good coaches the kids are lucky to have them and also some very good players
Awesome story. I went to high school with Dave when he was playing for the Chatham Micmacs. And I also played minor hockey with Saverio when I was a kid in the Soo. Congrats.
Congrats to Doucer, Tomsy, Fenner and the remainder of the Soo Jr. Greyhound staff. You guys have done a great job with these kids. Keep it going!
Your buddy in the south.
I was up in the “Soo” with family to watch our family member who plays for the “Saginaw Junior Spirit” to play the “Greyhounds” and let me say that we were impressed with the way that team plays with skill and respecting their opponents (us.) Very respectful Coaches and Players!
This could be the best team this age group since Blake Speers and the boys were playing for Sal.
IT,S BEEN A HELL OF A RIDE,WHAT A OUTFIT…