Little Big Men
Tales from the Timebox: October 24th, 2017
I cannot believe what a difference a year can make at this level! Actually not even a year, more like just over half a year, since early last March when I last saw these youngsters skate. Man did they improve over the summer!
The young Avalanche novice team coached by Jeff Morgan, Tyson Ballas, Shane Smith and manager Tara Cameron played their first game of the year right here on this past Saturday morning winning 14 to 7 over Bonnyville. Half of these players moved up from Micro-Novice where they take 3 minute shifts and don’t use off sides. It looks like they are learning the game very fast; just like Remington ‘Steel’ Reynolds, who opened up the scoring in the first period to tie the game right after Bonnyville had taken an early one goal lead. Remington ‘Steel’ went on to score a hat trick, one of them on a penalty shot.
Riley ‘the Coyote’ Bourne with a hat trick as well. Two goals each for ‘Notorious Nolan’ Ballas, ‘Wyatt Earp’ Fontaine and Miles ‘the Millionare’ Koren. Boe ‘Dog’ Johnson and Kale ‘the Hawk’ Ockerman with one each. The set up man ‘Without a Trace’ Morgan with a hat trick of assists; three of them.
Denys Kuba also setting up a couple of the goals. Some fabulous back-checking by ‘Smitty’ the long legged defenseman and Jaxon Smith.
Great team work by the rest of the boys on the defensive core, Jonathon McAleese, Jaxon Rawlake, Rylee Kozicky and David ‘ Crocket ‘ Cardinal. Goalie Brendan Kadutski with his first win of the year.
The Peewee Tier # 3 team traveled to Vermilion on Saturday playing in an exhibition game. Six of the players on this team moved up from Atoms in order to form three small teams, rather than have two very large teams. Atom aged players include Brendon ‘Blue-Line’ Haesch-Baker, Gavin ‘Giver’ Kadutski, Bo ‘Diddley’ Fontaine, Madden ‘Mad Dog’ Flammond, his brother ‘Formula One’ Kaleb Flammond and the sniper ‘Top Gunner’ Crawford.
‘Top Gunner’ scored in the second period to tie the game at one all, assisted by a new female player this year Kaylee Radcliffe, who was playing in her first year ever. Goalie Kade ‘Kid’ Fontaine, who is always up for a challenge, getting outshot, but keeping the Avalanche in the game well into the third period when they finally powered out a bit. The team ended up losing by a respectable 4 to 1 score, the ‘Kid’ facing 31 shots in the end, our young guns getting 18 pucks on the Tigers goalie.
The Peewee tier #1, Avalanche team split this past weekend losing the first one on Saturday afternoon in St. Paul and then winning one very early Sunday morning in Vermilion. Both games were very close contests and very entertaining.
The first one in St Paul on Saturday afternoon, they lost 8 to 7. ‘King Kong’ Konnor Poitras with a hat trick, ‘Mick Jager’ Fontaine with two, Vaughn ‘the Vulture’ Ockerman and Ryan ‘Ram Rod’ Cameron with one each. Cash ‘Paycheque’ Capjack with two assists, Ceajay Quinney adding one.
Then on Sunday morning the Tier #1 team was on the road long before the sun came up, heading to Vermilion for an 8am game. (At least it wasn’t 30 below or something like that) They came home with the two points winning 7 to 6. ‘Mick Jager’ with a hat trick, ‘Paycheque’ and ‘King Kong’ Konnor with two each. Nic’the Saint’ Penner with two assists, Ceajay Quinney, Rylee ‘the Rocket’ Warawa, and Landon ‘the Magnificent’ Malachowski with the other helpers.
Right after the Avalanche played their morning game, the Vermilion Tigers bantam girls team skated onto the ice with four of our former Storm players, Jenna ‘Precious’ Poitras, Sydnee ‘the Kid’ Crawford, Jadey ‘the Ladey’ Capjack and Laramie ‘Louis’ Parr in the line up.
With not enough girls in Elk Point the form a bantam team, the four of them are now playing in Vermilion and making an immediate impact. The Storm troopers line connected for some great plays and points. Sydnee ‘the Kid’ Crawford with a two goal game, plus added two assists. Her linemate, winger Jenna ‘Precious’ Poitras with a goal and two assist, their center Laramie ‘Louis’ Parr getting pressure on the fore-check creating the turnovers. Defense woman Jadey ‘the Ladey’ Capjack holding firm on the blue line, no body was getting past her; the Tigers winning this one over Fort Saskatchewan 8 to 2.
The Midget Avalanche completely buried Bonnyville, on Sunday night, sending 64 shot to the net winning the game 14 to 1. The big bruiser, who can really cruise, Brody ‘the Big O’ Odgaard leading the charge with 5 goals. Talented team captain ‘Awesome Alex’ Hunter with 4 goals, back with the team again this year after getting cut from the beer league. Austin ‘Astro’ Axley, had two really quick ones in the third, scoring them only 9 seconds apart. Rookie Wolke ‘Wolfman’ Cueva, slippery Hayden ‘Hot Wheels’ Ludlage, and rugged ‘Warrior’ Warren Ference with one goal each.
Three assists for the speedy left winger Chad ‘Pick Pocket’ Poitras, a couple assists for the hardnosed D-man Cyle ‘Grinder’ Graus. Nick ‘Sparky’ Anderson with an assist and some really terrific fore-checking.
The brand new player, Abe Neufeld, who hasn’t played contact hockey before took a few lumps or “Welcome to the Big League”. He got hammered a few times, but got back up. He had a helper late in the game and Hank ‘the Tank’ Rogal, another rookie D-man who didn’t look out of place with a helper too.
Between the pipes it was a fairly quiet night for Colton ‘Colt 45’ Van Maarion, but he did have to stop a few tough ones and came up big when called upon .
And now for the K.A. Campbell quote of the week. ‘ Winning doesn’t always mean being first. Winning means you’re doing better than you’ve ever done before.’ -Bonnie Blair
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