2008 Oakville Rangers eliminate Barrie in the OHL Cup Quarter Finals

In 86 games during the 2023-2024 season, the Oakville Rangers had only been shutout twice, and they were blowouts: a 5-0 loss in the finals of the Toronto Marlboros Holiday Classic Tournament, and a 5-0 loss in the semi-finals of the OMHA Championships just under 2 weeks prior. Both of those blowout, shutout losses came to the hands of the Barrie Colts.

Barrie was filled with elite level skill. Many claim they were the most skilled team on paper out of all 2008-born teams, and their team-leading 15 OHL Draft selections a month later may be proof of that. Heading into the U16 season, they changed about 3/4 of their team to add help to 1st round pick Amidovski and 2nd round pick Patton. They added Ottawa-native MacLean (1st round pick), a player who had been playing up with the 2007's since U13 and one of my personal favourite players to watch since U11 Logan Hawery (1st round pick), Ottawa-native Greer (2nd round pick), Gowan (2nd round pick), Arnett (3rd round pick), Team Canada Youth Olympic goalie selection Matteo Beites (5th round pick), etc. just to name a few. This was a very deep team: 2 goalies drafted in the 5th round, depth on defence, and an offensively gifted gifted froward group - the only team to have better numbers (230 GF, 36 GA, +194) in the OMHA regular season than Oakville (215 GF, 53 GA, +162).

Coming into the tournament, Coach Mike DeRenzis wanted to play 3 teams: 3rd-ranked Barrie (they whooped his ass 5-0 twice that season), 2nd-ranked North York (they eliminated Oakville in the semi's of the Titans tournament), and 1st-ranked Vaughan (they were the true champs at that point in his eyes). With that said, the amount of video and preparation that was done for Barrie was off the charts, the team knew them inside-out, prepared for them, and wanted them.

After a scoreless 1st period, Oakville would strike first with a Jonny Brooks goal about a minute into the 2nd period. Just 1-minute later, Logan Hawery would tie it up for Barrie. While this could have had a momentum-swing impact and cause Oakville to have doubts, they were too strong mentally, too prepared, and they put their foot on the gas. Oakville would go on to score 2 more goals from Jaxson Harismowich and Greg Najda, outshooting Barrie 20-7 in the 2nd period and claiming a 3-1 lead going into the 3rd. The pressure and adversity seemed to be too much for goaltender Matteo Beites, who in between whistles decided to blocker an Oakville player to the face, taking a 5-minute major penalty and game ejection, and it was smooth sailing for Oakville the rest of the game - knowing how to drain the clock, manage the puck, and play smart defensive hockey, the Rangers got their elimination on their OMHA counterparts, eliminating the 3rd ranked Barrie Colts from the OHL Cup.

This began Oakville's "Revenge Tour" - next stop: the 2nd ranked North York Rangers.