After a heartbreaking loss, the Oakville Hockey Club hung up its skates following the end of the competition season.

The tigers’ season came to an end last Monday after the team fought its way through the bracket and challenged 14 time Mid State’s Challenger Cup Champion, CBC, in the final matchup. It was no easy task getting there, however. OHS was placed in the No. 12 seed in the Challenge Cup Tournament, which features the St. Louis area’s top 12 hockey clubs.

Going into the tournament, the boys first faced Fort Zumwalt West. The two teams fought a back-and-forth battle, but the score remained tied at 2-2 after the third period.

“We really fought hard, you know, there is just a lot of competition, especially in this brackett. We just really gave it all we had and left it all out on the ice, and that is really all you can ask for,” captain Ryan Mitchell (12) said.

The following day, the boys came head to head with the Kirkwood Pioneers. Coming from behind in the second period, leading scorer Andrew Klingaman tied up the game at 1-1, but the Pioneers retook a strong lead and won with a final score of 6-3.

Finally, in the third game of the playoff season, they faced the CBC Cadets. Kyle Wedbush (11) dominated in goal with a total of 38 saves out of 43 shots on goal, but those five goals made all the difference; the Cadets won 5-2.

Though disappointed, the boys did not let this loss define their season.

“It’s a great thing when you have a team this close. They all work very hard and have a bond both on and off the ice. We are really going to miss these guys. We are basically a family,” says defensemen Joe Tomiser (11).

The OHS hockey program looks forward to lacing up the skates for next season.