Matt Robinson was the best player on the ice.
With a berth in OFSAA on the line, the Grade 12 student at Mother Teresa Secondary School (MTS) scored the overtime winner for a 3-2 victory and send the Spartans back to the Ontario Championship tournament for the second time in three years.
Tied at two in the WOSSAA final, the Spartans and Stratford Collegiate went to a four-on-four extra period.
On the first shift of OT, Robinson used his blazing speed to beat the defender and shoot short side on the goaltender, and it trickled over the line before the bench emptied.
“I’ll remember this for the rest of my life, it’s pretty special,” said Robinson, who plays for the U18 London Jr. Knights.
“I just sort of shot the puck there, and I’ve never felt like that in my life. It was unreal.”
It was his third goal of the day. He scored in the first period to tie the game, and then a short-handed breakaway to give the Spartans a 2-1 lead before Stratford tied it mid-way through the second.
“Big props to Robbie (Robinson), three goals in a 3-2 game,” said Matt Murphy, Spartans captain.
“We were down, and he carried the load for us. That was huge.”
The win sends MTS to the OFSAA tournament in Windsor later this month. Two years ago in the same city, they won a bronze medal.
“I love all these boys, they’re like family to me,” said Murphy.
“In my Grade 11 year, we had a great run and I’m glad we can do it again.”
Robinson said his first trip to OFSAA, he was only in Grade 10.
“I didn’t get too many shifts on the ice as the team was a bit older,” said Robinson.
“Now it’s nice to be a big part of the lineup. I’ve been waiting for OFSAA as our coach has been telling us he wants that breakfast there, so I had to deliver.”
OFSAA Roundup
The Oakridge Oaks Girls volleyball team has a shot to win their first provincial gold medal since 2018. They are 5-0 at the OFSAA AA tournament in North Bay and have yet to drop a set. The Oaks faced some injury troubles early in the tournament but have bounced back and will face Aurora in the championship semifinal Wednesday at 11 a.m.
In AAA Boys basketball, MTS is into the semifinal as a seven-seed. They beat number two Cathedral 48-47 in the quarterfinal to advance to meet number six Oakwood Wednesday morning.
In A Boys basketball, host Woodstock Collegiate Institute (WCI) is still alive and into the semifinal. Third-seeded WCI will meet number seven Woodland CHS at CASS at 11 a.m. Wednesday
At the London Curling Club, Listowel and Stratford both booked their tickets to OFSAA Tuesday.
In the boys tournament, Listowel won the gold medal with a 9-6 win over East Elgin from Aylmer.
In the girls gold medal game, Stratford turned a close game into a blowout with a four-point end to win the tournament with an 11-2 victory.
