Review: 16th Annual North York Knights Challenge

February 22, 2012
Posted in Ontario Edition, Tournament Results

BY SAM LASKARIS /

The North York Knights had their most successful results to date at their own tournament.

The 16th annual North York Knights Challenge, which featured 52

A teams, was staged Feb. 3 to 5 at Canlan Ice Sports at York University.

The host Knights won five of the nine divisions that were contested. And the North

York organization had two of its other teams advance to their championship finals.

The five division titles signified the most the Knights have captured at the tournament in one year.

The previous high of three championships came at the 2007 tourney.

The Knights did not have any of their teams win a division at last year’s tournament and only one at the 2010 tourney.

Tournament convenor Al Kennedy said Knights’ officials had an inkling midway through the event that this year might be a special one for the organization.

“We were competitive in every division,” he said. “On the Saturday (the second day of the tournament) we realized we had a lot of teams that were moving ahead to their semi-finals and finals.”

The North York clubs that won their divisions were at the Major Atom, Minor Bantam, Major Bantam, Minor Midget and Major Midget Jr. levels.

The two other Knights’ clubs that advanced to their finals were at the Minor Peewee and Major Midget Sr. divisions.

Kennedy added the Knights’ success was in part becauase an Ottawa-area organization, Stittsville, which usually has entrants in most divisions, didn’t take part.

“They have strong teams but they didn’t come this year,” he said. “There was a conflict with their school exams so they decided to go to an earlier tournament in January.”

Previous Story: Review: Toronto Junior Canadiens Minor Atom AAA Captures Canadiens Cup