From February 6–8, the U13 Minto Mad Dogs rolled into the Doug Perkes Memorial Tournament with sticks taped, skates sharp, and something to prove.
They set the tone right away in Game 1, shutting the door on Mid Huron 2 with a dominant 5–0 win. It was the kind of start every team hopes for—tight defense, hard backchecking, and goals that came from working for every inch of ice.
Game 2 brought a tougher test against South Huron. The Mad Dogs traded chances all game, answering every push with one of their own. When the final buzzer sounded at 3–3, it felt less like a tie and more like a statement: this team could hang with anyone.
Game 3 against Saugeen Valley didn’t go their way, ending in a 9–0 loss. But instead of letting it define them, the Mad Dogs reset, refocused, and showed the kind of resilience that doesn’t show up on a scoresheet.
That grit paid off in the B Semifinal against Mid Huron 1. The Mad Dogs came out flying, playing with confidence and purpose, earning a hard-fought 6–3 victory and a spot in the B Championship Final.
The final against Ingersoll was everything you’d expect—fast, physical, and intense right down to the last shift. The Mad Dogs battled to the very end, but came up just short in a 4–3 loss.
When the tournament wrapped up, the U13 Minto Mad Dogs skated off as B Championship Finalists—a team defined not just by wins and losses, but by effort, teamwork, and the refusal to quit. A weekend to be proud of, and a memory that will stick with this group for a long time.