The Belleville Bulls U12A skated away from Richmond Hill with the Mary Parkinson Memorial Tournament championship after an unbeaten run through the 10-team field that finished in a tense 2-1 victory over the Kingston Canadiens.
Early-season form in a competitive Richmond Hill event
The tournament, held this past weekend in Richmond Hill, was the Bulls' first competitive stop of the 2026-27 season. After a flawless round-robin phase the team advanced to the Sunday semifinal, where they defeated the Oshawa Generals 5-3 to book a place in the final.
The championship game against Kingston — a familiar opponent the Bulls expect to meet often during the season — proved to be a low-scoring affair decided by a single goal. The victory capped a weekend in which Belleville posted a 5-0-1 record and did not record a defeat through six games.
Team-first approach pays dividends
Coaches credited the win to cohesion and contributions across the roster, noting several new faces had been integrated quickly.
"It was a huge team effort from start to finish. We have a lot of new faces in this group, and the players came together quickly. The biggest thing we talked about was putting the team first, and they really bought into that."
Organisers said the Mary Parkinson Memorial Tournament continues to be a valued early-season barometer for U12 teams across the area, offering multiple games in a short span and the chance for coaching staffs to test lines, defensive systems and special teams under tournament pressure.
- Event: Mary Parkinson Memorial Tournament (U12A)
- Location: Richmond Hill
- Champion: Belleville Bulls U12A (5-0-1)
Results snapshot
| Stage | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Semifinal | Oshawa Generals | 5-3 |
| Final | Kingston Canadiens | 2-1 |
For Richmond Hill, hosting tournaments such as this brings youth hockey into the community spotlight and gives local arenas a steady stream of games and visitors in the early autumn weeks. Ice-time demand, volunteer staffing and game-day operations are all tested during multi-day tournaments, with local minor-hockey associations often leaning on experienced volunteers to ensure events run smoothly.
The success of visiting teams can also be a draw for local families and scouts. For the Bulls, the tournament win offers momentum heading into regular-season play; for Richmond Hill, it reinforces the city’s role as a regional host for grassroots hockey.
Belleville’s next scheduled stop mentioned in tournament coverage is a home opener on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 5:30 p.m. against the Ajax Pickering Raiders — an early date on the calendar that will give the Bulls a chance to sustain the form they found in Richmond Hill.
Local parents and minor-hockey supporters say tournaments like Mary Parkinson are about more than standings: they are community gatherings that give young players repeated, competitive ice time and help coaches evaluate pairings and strategies before league play intensifies.
As the season progresses, Richmond Hill’s arenas will continue to host similar events, with organisers and teams watching closely to measure development and readiness across age groups.
