North Stars defend Gold Puck title (Updated)

For the second consecutive year, the Soo North Stars are champions of the Waterloo Gold Puck Tournament.

On Sunday afternoon, the North Stars completed an unbeaten tournament with a 3-1 win over the Hamilton Red Wings Reps in the championship game.

In six games in three days, the North Stars compiled a 5-0-1 record while surrendering just eight goals, including one goal in each of the last five games.

Derrek Coccimiglio, Dean Howard and Dan Vernelli scored for the North Stars in the final.

"It was the best total team effort and best defensive game played all year," said head coach Mike Hall, who also complimented his coaches Carlo DiCandia (defense coach) and Ed Fenos (goalie coach) on jobs well done.

In semi-final action on Sunday morning, the North Stars edged the hometown Waterloo Wolves 2-1 with Brad DiCandia and Vernelli scoring.

In action on Saturday, the Soo defeated the Whitby Wildcats 4-1 and the Sun County Panthers 2-1 to conclude the preliminary round.

Brett Perlini and Coccimiglio each scored once and set up another in the win over Whitby while Brad DiCandia and Vernelli also scored. Vernelli and Perlini provided the offense in the victory over the Panthers.

*** SOO BANTAM GREYHOUNDS:

At the Gold Puck Tournament, the Soo Greyhounds minor bantams, who won the bantam major title last season, finished with a 2-1-1 record and did not qualify for the playoff round.

The Hounds opened with a 5-2 win over the Richmond Hill Stars and a 4-3 decision over the Welland Tigers on Friday. On Saturday, the Hounds played to a 1-1 tie with the Pittsburgh Penguins before falling 3-1 to the Central Ontario Wolves.