The Trenton Golden Hawks had a flare for the dramatic Wednesday night in Milton.
After trailing 2-0 for much of the game, the relentless pressure paid off in the Buckland Cup Championship.
Kyloe Ellis and Cooper Matthews scored in the final three minutes of the third period to force overtime and they made history from there.
GAME-WINNING GOAL VIDEO BELOW
(Video shot by Tim Durkin/Quinte News)
Taeo Artichuk scored the game winner (assisted by Cooper Matthews and Corbin Roach), as the Golden Hawks defeated the Milton Menace 3-2 in overtime in Game 6 of the OJHL Championship
Artichuk spoke to Quinte News just seconds after scoring the the championship winner.
Audio Player“Honestly, I’ve never felt like this in my life. I’m going to remember this for the rest of my life. This group of guys, I’d do anything for.”
MORE BELOW
Corbin Road lifts the trophy from OJHL Commissioner Marty Savoy
Golden Hawks Captain Corbin Roach.
Audio Player“Words can’t describe how great of a feeling this is right now. This is the best team and the best organization in the whole league. Best fans, wouldn’t be here without them. Our amazing staff, I love every person in this organization. It’s just an incredible feeling.”
Despite trailing, Roach says they did not stop believing.
Audio Player“Our whole focus this playoffs was not getting too down or too high. We knew we could come back from this, just like we have been all year. This is just an amazing feeling.”
David Fournier has been to three straight OJHL Championship series and lost the last two. He says it is incredible to be on the winning side.
Audio PlayerAudio Player“We’ve been working so hard day in, day out. The boys deserve it, we’ve worked so hard for that.”
“It’s unbelievable. I have no words, I can’t believe it yet. This is awesome.”
MORE BELOW
Goaltender Ryan Sanborn is named MVP of the playoffs (OJHL Images)
Trenton Golden Hawks Head Coach Derek Smith
Audio PlayerAudio Player“The adversity these guys have faced all year with the injuries and the sicknesses. For them to be able to do it like this, the way we did it was pretty special.”
“Last game didn’t go well and there’s pressure on young kids to win hockey games. They just had to enjoy it and they came out in the third period and just enjoyed being part of a group together and battling together. Our mindset changed and realistically we had nothing to lose.”
MORE PHOTOS BELOW
Cooper Matthews and Thomas Kuipers (no helmet) come to celebrate with Taeo Artichuk after his OT winner for the OJHL Championship (Ray MacAloney/OJHL Images)
The Golden Hawks celebrate their second ever league championship Wednesday evening. (Michelle Malvaso/OJHL Images)
(OJHL Images)
Corbin Roach lifts the Buckland Cup
