Forecheck, Backcheck, Paycheck!

A managers job looks easy. Make a few call or texts and sit back and watch the games.  No problem! Until you actually do it one year. Then you will have a little more appreciation of all that’s really involved. Making sure there’s enough players, referees, booth worker, off ice officials, and doing lots of other things behind the scenes like keeping stats. etc.

All the inter-league games had been cancelled earlier this past week which left most of the team managers scrambling to find a game for their team rather than sit idle for the weekend. Nothing at all this past weekend came up for the midget Avalanche who were scheduled to play Redwater and couldn’t find another team to play. Too bad too because this would have be a very good game to gauge their performance for the up coming zone 2 provincial round robins  The Atom Avalanche also had a inter-league game booked against Lamont, but when it was cancelled they managed to book a game against the Marwayne tier # 1 Sled Dogs. Right off the drop of the puck  in the opening period the Sled Dogs took a jump and it was 3 to 0 when  as the teams retired to the dressing room after the first period.  In the second period the Avalanche managed to get the three goals back while allowing only one, Phoenix Quinney-Canning with a one timer assisted by Cash Capjack and Ryan ‘ Ram Rod’ Cameron. The second one by  ‘D Man ‘ Sam ‘Spiderman’ Rogal scoring assisted by another solid rushing blue liner ‘St Nic’ Penner. Then ‘ King Kong Konnor’ Poitras would come through with a huge power play goal, set up nicely by Phoenix Canning and ‘ Bo Diddley’ Fontaine.  ‘ Bo Diddley’ did most of the bull work in this one carried the puck into the zone and to the net eventually resulting in the goal. The score 4 to 3 after the second period looked very promising even though they had been outshot very badly,  the little Avalanche goaltender, ” Kid Kade’ Fontaine was holding his own . The third period was all Sled Dogs once again, they poured on the pressure and added another 3 goals, the final 7 to 3 for the Dogs.  This was a good test for our Atoms, who’s record is now 10 wins and 2 losses on the season. Playing a tier # 1 team  you need to react faster, when you play the weaker teams you have much more time to decide what to do with the puck. The novice 1 A team played a great game on Saturday at home against St. Paul winning 8 to 2. Raif ‘ Rug Rat’ Evans Anderson was awesome in net. Playing in his first season, Everett Lindsay scoring his first goal ever but certainly not this last. His mom keeping that puck for sure for his trophy case. A hat trick for speedster Madden ‘ Mad Dog’ Flamand.  Moved to the forward line from defense, Spencer Malachowski scoring her first goal ever. ‘Without a Trace’ Morgan, Sebastien Brousseau and ‘Hurricane Kayl’ Warawa all putting one behind the goalie too. Two assists for ‘ Notorious Nolan’ Ballas , and up from the  farm team , Wyatt Earp’ Fontaine with two assists as well.  On Sunday they travelled to Saddle Lake winning this one easily 17 to 2. Hat tricks for ” Mad Dog’ Spencer Malachowski and Everett Lindsey. Two goals each for ‘Hurricane Kayl’, Boe Johnson, and ‘Without a Trace’ , one each for ‘Notorious Nolan’ and Sebastien Brousseau.  Lots of assists by ‘ Stellar Ella’  Ballas.

The Novice 1 B team played at home on Sunday against the Marwayne/Dewberry Colts team, and it turned into a real barn burner, the final score 6 to 5 in favor of the Colts. Great goaltending at both ends of the rink, the Avalanche goalie Brenden Kadutski was making sensational saves. ‘ Good Time Charle’ Lesyk with a hat trick his brother Braylee ‘ B.J. ‘ Lesyk with one, and Miles Koren tapping one in from the side of the net. Evett’ Snoopy’ Smereka , Anna ‘ the Banana’ Henderson and Kale Ockerman all with an assist. Kaysen DeMoissac was terrific on the back checking and lassoed  a number of Colts rushes dead in their tracks.