Vaughan Kings alumni chasing Olympic crown with Team Canada

Article content

That was an epic hockey game fit for Canada’s hockey kings – especially the Vaughan Kings.

Article content

Call this a hat trick, Olympics style.

Article content

Recommended Videos

Article content

Yes, three of the legendary Greater Toronto Hockey League club’s distinguished alumni stepped up large in the big quarterfinal comeback that Canada won 4-3 over Czechia at the Olympics.

Canada will now face Finland in Friday’s semifinals with the winner playing for gold on Sunday against either the United States or Slovakia. The loser plays for the bronze medal.

Scoring the winning goal in extra time, “Magic” Mitch Marner pulled off more heroics on the ice with that maple leaf on his chest. And Jordan “Bar the Door” Binnington wouldn’t let any more pucks get by him while Thomas “Hip Check” Harley was a stalwart on defence.

GTA stars shine on Olympic stage

It was a royally big day for Michael Ciccolini and his Vaughan Kings, for which he has been the director of coaches and player personnel for 11 years. He was in the stands in Milan for this game and could be seen with an ear-to-ear smile on his face. His alumni were outstanding out there.

Article content

Article content

We also can’t forget Connor “The Magician” McDavid and Nick “The Saviour” Suzuki either.

All of these GTA and Ontario stars came up big for Canada at the Olympics on Wednesday, securing a victory from the jaws of a potential shock defeat against a gutsy Czech team.

That was one epic hockey game. The negative was seeing Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby leaving early with a leg injury. The positive is this team, even under adversity, did not quit in true Canadian style.

Big day for local minor hockey

That is a byproduct of Canadian minor hockey from coast to coast. And this was a big day for Ontario and GTA youth hockey as well.

Marner, McDavid, Binnington, Harley and Nick Suzuki – amongst many others — all made this happen.

Article content

Marner scored the winning goal in overtime when he saw a hole in the defence, splitting the defenders and put a shot over Czech goalie Lukas Dostal’s shoulder to put Canada into the semifinal. But Suzuki gave Canada the opportunity late in the third period by scoring the tying goal – a play that he did not quit on and eventually deflected in.

None of any of that would have happened if not for Binnington’s two big saves in the third and again in overtime. If it weren’t for him, Canada could have easily been heading to the airport after the game.

And don’t forget McDavid’s amazing passes in this game, including some wizardry in a beautiful back pass to Macklin Celebrini to open the scoring.

All of those guys are products of Canadian arenas and Canadian minor hockey coaching and development.

Article content

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Play Video

When these Olympians were kids

Marner played for many teams in the GTA, including the Clarington Toros, Whitby Wildcats, Vaughan Kings and Don Mills Flyers, before joining the Ontario Hockey League powerhouse London Knights. He then spent almost a decade with the Toronto Maple Leafs before joining the Vegas Golden Knights last summer.

McDavid was a star for the York Simcoe Express before skating for the Toronto Marlboros and eventually the Erie Otters of the OHL. He’s now a sensation with the Edmonton Oilers.

Binnington played for the Dixie Beehives and the Vaughan Kings before joining the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL and then the St. Louis Blues, winning a Stanley Cup with them in 2019.

Take a bow, coaches

Harley played for the Vaughan Kings before playing with the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads and the Dallas Stars.

Article content

Meanwhile, Suzuki played for the London Junior Knights before playing on the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack and Guelph Storm. Now he’s the captain of the Montreal Canadiens.

They all started somewhere and while they have not won a medal yet at these Olympics, all of these players’ minor or junior hockey clubs and coaches can certainly take a bow for being part of their journey to get to the NHL and onto the Olympic stage that has so many mesmerized.

Yes, that was a big win for Canadian hockey. But it was a big win for Canadian minor hockey as well.

Article content