Five Huron Heat teams begin playoff races
BY SHAWN LOUGHLIN
Two Huron Heat teams have already begun their playoffs, with the U15 C Heat registering a win in their first playoff game and the U11 C team losing their opening playoff game.
The U15 C Heat played their first playoff game of 2023 against the Woodstock Wildcats on Sunday at the Central Huron Community Complex, beating them by a score of 3-1.
The U11 C Heat, however, lost their first playoff game against the Mooretown Lady Flags on the road by a score of 2-1 on Saturday.
The U15 C Heat continue their playoffs on Jan. 28 with a game against the Ilderton Jets in Komoka, followed by a game against the Lambton Attack in Clinton on Jan. 29 and a Feb. 5 game against the Irish in Lucan.
The U11 C Heat next played the Central Perth Predators in Blyth on Jan. 26, but a score was unavailable at press time.
They were then due to take on the Woodstock Wildcats on the road on Feb. 4, followed by another game against Mooretown on Feb. 5 in Clinton.
The U11 HL Heat are also in the playoffs, scheduled to take on the Woodstock HL Black Wildcats on Feb. 5 on the road, followed by a game against the Ilderton Jets, also on the road, on Feb. 11 and a game against the Woodstock HL White Wildcats on Feb. 12 in Goderich.
The U13 C Heat begin their playoff journey on Jan. 28 in St. Thomas for a game against the Panthers, followed by two games on Jan. 29. The first is against the Bluewater Hawks in Clinton, followed by a game against the North Middlesex Junior Stars on the road.
They then have another double-header on Feb. 12, playing the North Middlesex Junior Stars again, this time in Clinton, followed by another game with the Bluewater Hawks, but on the road.
The final Heat team making its way into the playoffs is the U18 C Heat, which played the Sarnia Lady Sting on the road on Jan. 22, but a score was unavailable at press time.
They next face the Lucan Irish in a home-and-home pair of games in Clinton on Jan. 28 and then in Lucan on Jan. 29.
They’re in action again on Feb. 12 with a game against the South Huron Sabres in Clinton.
Several other Heat teams are still in action, including the U9 HL Black team, which played the South Huron Sabres in Seaforth on Jan. 24, but a score was unavailable at press time. The U9 B Heat then travelled to Stephen Township for a game with the South Huron Sabres on Jan. 25, but a score was unavailable at press time.
On Saturday, the U9 B team will play the Woodstock Wildcats on the road, while the U9 HL White Heat will play the Lucan Irish in Seaforth.
The U11 B Heat will play the Ilderton Jets on the road, while the U15 BB Heat will play the Sarnia Lady Sting, also on the road. The U18 BB Heat will play the South Huron Sabres on the road that night.
On Sunday, Jan. 29, the U11 B Heat will play the Ilderton Jets in Clinton, while the U13 B Heat will host the Saugeen Shores Storm in Goderich.
The U9 HL Black Heat will play North Middlesex on the road and the U9 B Heat will also be on the road for a game against the Waterloo Ravens.
The U18 BB Heat will play the Aces in Stratford and the U15 BB Heat will play the Lady Sting in Sarnia, while the Senior team will host Milverton in Hensall.
Next weekend, the U13 C, U15 BB, U18 BB and U18 C Heat teams will all head south to participate in the London Devilettes Tournament.
The U15 BB team will begin its tournament on Feb. 3 with a game against the St. Catharines Junior Badgers, followed by a game against the Markham Stouffville Stars, while the U13 C Heat will play the Stratford Aces first, followed by a game against the tournament host London Devilettes.
The U18 BB Heat will open the tournament on Feb. 3 with a game against the host London Devilettes, followed by a game against the Durham West Lightning.
Also on Feb. 3, the Senior team will play the Upper Maitland Mustangs in Howick.
The U15 BB Heat continue tournament play on Feb. 4 with a game against the Oakville Hornets, while the U18 BB Heat have a tournament game scheduled that day, also against the Oakville Hornets.
Also that day, the U9 B Heat will welcome the Kitchener Lady Rangers to Seaforth, followed by a game between the U9 HL Black Heat against the Ilderton Jets, also in Seaforth. That evening, the Senior team will be on the road for a game against Milverton.
On Feb. 5, the U9 B Heat play the Grand River Mustangs in Fergus and the U11 B Heat play the Lucan Irish in Clinton.
The U13 B Heat will host the Mount Forest Rams in Goderich and the U9 HL White team will play the South Huron Sabres in Clinton.
Looking back, the U13 B Heat beat the Kincardine Kinucks in Goderich on Jan. 22 by a score of 3-0, while the U18 BB Heat beat the Southpoint Stars in Clinton by a score of 4-0. That night the Senior team played the Upper Maitland Mustangs in Hensall, but a score was unavailable at press time.
On Jan. 21, the U9 HL White Heat played the London Devilettes and the London Green Devils as part of the Belmont Blazers Tournament, but scores were unavailable at press time. The U9 B Heat played the Wilmot Wolverines and the U9 HL Black team welcomed the St. Marys Rock, both in Seaforth, but scores were not kept for those games.
The U11 B Heat hosted the London Devilettes in Seaforth, winning by a score of 5-0, while the U15 BB Heat played to a scoreless tie with the South Huron Sabres on the road.
On Jan. 20, the U9 HL White Heat beat the Bluewater Hawks by a score of 3-2 in tournament action, followed by another game against the Hawks, but a score for that game was unavailable at press time.
Also that day, the U11 B Heat tied the St. Marys Rock at one, while the Senior team played Belmore on the road, but a score was unavailable at press time.
On Jan. 19, the U15 BB Heat lost to the Walkerton Capitals by a score of 4-1, while, on Jan. 17, the U9 B Heat played the London Devilettes in half-ice action in Seaforth, but a score was not kept for that game.