A Hard Days Night
No more taking a Sunday strolling in the park with their girl friends for these guys! The time has finally come to punch the clock and get to work. Sooner or later it had to happen. Time to put on the coveralls, tighten up the work boots, put on the hard hat and do an honest days work.
The midget boys really had to work for their two points, this past weekend, after walking all over all of the teams in the north. They finally met some competition when the Hughenden Jets came to town last Sunday night. This would be the first time the team actually had to put any effort into winning. In fact, they were down by two goals, losing 4 to 2 after 40 minutes when they skated out for the third period.
In the third period, the Avalanche started passing the puck and playing like a team instead of passing the buck. Trying to do it all alone works fine with the easy teams that they had been playing, but not when you have some competition. It seems to be the teams in the south must be a whole lot stronger then the teams in the north division. The Jets are a good looking solid team themselves, they had won only two games down south and lost three games when they traveled up north. So obviously, there is a lot of stronger teams out there, the Avalanche just haven’t met them yet!
Nick ‘Sparky’ Anderson scoring the first goal in the first few minutes of the game to tie it up at one, then he set up ‘Warrior Warren’ Ference late in the first period in the slot for his big one timer into the mesh making the game 2 to 1 for the Avalanche after the first period.
But things would go downhill big time in the second period. The Jets adding 3 unanswered goals making it 4 to 2. Feeling the desperation building team captain ‘Awesome Alex’ Hunter would come out and score one part way through the third period, then adding an assist to Wolke ‘Wolf Man’ Cueva goal, that tied the game at 4 all half way through the third period. ‘Wolf Man’ scored on a weak change up that fooled the goalie who had been playing a stellar game up to that point . But just like Wayne Gretzky has said many times, “you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take”. Then it was Austin ‘Astro ‘ Axley tipping one upstairs on wicked shot from the point by the solid D-Man Hayden ‘Hot Wheel’ Ludlage to take the lead with 9 minutes left in the third.
The score 5 to 4 now for the Avalanche, the Jets making a last minute ditch attempt to tie it , pulled their goalie for the extra attacker, ‘Awesome Alex’ shooting one from our blue line straight as an arrow in for the insurance goal. The final 6 to 4 for the Avalanche. The ‘Big O’ Brody Odgaard with a couple of helpers in this one. He had some real quality chances on the Jets goalie, but like I said, the kid they had in net played great. Our goalie guy Colton ‘Colt 45’ Van Maarion coming up really big too with some spectacular timely saves in the dying minutes of the game to give the boys the victory.
The bantam boys are still on cruise control having yet to meet their maker. Friday night, when the Marwayne Sled Dogs came to town you would have thought that maybe this was going to be it, but they sent them home with their tails between their legs. The Avalanche with only 8 skaters dressed in this one, plus the goalie would coast to an easy 10 to 3 win.
Hat tricks for ‘Lightning Liam’ Ludlage and ‘Cowboy Dallas’ Bristow. Two goals for Charlie ‘Chuckles’ Rogal. Evan ‘Batman’ Ockerman and Jaden ‘Jetstream’ Van Maarion with one each. Three assists for Jace ‘the Stafford Streak’, Odin ‘the Wall’ Smith and Matthew ‘Quick-straw’ Quinney with one each.
Sunday more of the same, this time with a full two lines dressed, a big 7 to 1 win over Wainwright. ‘Jet Stream’ with his patented one timer, with a hat trick. This guy has such a powerful slap shot that I’m sure will break the plexi glass one day if he misses the net. ‘Lightning Liam’ with two goals and three assists. This was a easy night for ‘Lightning Liam’ with a full two lines he actually had a break between shifts, most games so far this year he has double shifted and logs about 55 minutes in a 60 minute game. ‘Danny Boy’ Cardinal with a beauty of a goal assisted by ‘the Wall’ and ‘Quick-straw’. The ‘ Cowboy, the ‘ Bat Man’ and the ‘ Streak’ in on the action with a couple of assists each.
Our peewee tier one team travelled to St Paul on Friday night losing a close one 8 to 6. Two goals each for ‘King Kong Konnor’ Poitras, ‘Mick Jager’ Fontaine and Landon the ‘Magnificent ‘ Malchowski.
On Saturday at home they had all they could handle with the power house Bonnyville Pontiacs losing this one 8 to 1. Cash ‘Paycheque’ Capjack spoiling the Pontiacs shut out with only 40 seconds left in the third period. Assisted by ‘ Mick Jager’ and Vaughn ‘the Vulture’ Ockerman.
The tier # 3 team seems to be doing quite well winning again this past weekend, in the Border City 4 to 0 over the Blazers. Two goals for Madden ‘Mad Dog’ Flamand; ‘Mad Dog’ by the way is a first year Atom playing Peewee… mind you there is no body contact in Peewee anymore; but still he is not out of place at all. ‘Wild Wyatt’ Pavol with one, and ‘Bo Diddley’ Fontaine with a goal, also an assist and the coaches pick for the Inspirational Player of the game. The unsung hero’s defenseman Brendon ‘Blue Line’ Haesch-Baker and Gavin ‘Giver’ Kadutski also with assists. The ‘ Kid’ goalie Kade Fontaine with another outstanding performance getting the shut out.
The Atom team didn’t fare as well in the Border City on Saturday losing 8 to 5. Kaysen ‘Dynamite’ DeMossiac blasting two goals past them. Evett ‘Snoopy’ Smereka getting off his leash and out of the pound scoring two goals too. ‘Cyclone Cole’ Pierce with one goal. Two assists for the ‘Pinball’ Brayden Pinette. ‘Hurricane Kayl’ Warawa and Braylee ‘Little Willy’ Lesyk with one assist each. On Sunday, the ‘Rug Rat’ Raif Evan -Anderson was celebrating his 9th birthday when the team traveled to Mannville. The outcome there was not so great, must have been a little too much birthday cake! This coming weekend Atoms will be hosting their home tournament. Be sure to stop by and check them out. The Avalanche playing 8am and 2.15 pm on Saturday and 1 pm on Sunday.
The novice team traveled to Bonnyville on Saturday losing a very close one 4 to 3. Miles ‘the Millionare’ Koren behind the mask this week in net did a fine job of protecting the bank. ‘ Without a Trace’ slipping by their defense scoring the first one all alone, Brendon ‘Buzz Saw’ Kadutski with the Avalanche’s second one assist by Rhyley Kozicky and ‘Wyatt Earp’ Fontaine scoring the third goal, his assisted by another gunslinger Remington ‘Steel’ Reynolds.
The little micro novice team with only 7 players on the team are holding their own. They tied 5 all over in St. Paul on the weekend. Theo ‘Long Horn’ Loughran with the first goal assist by Ryder ‘Rhino’ Malo. Jesse James Penner all alone with the second one. ‘Rhino’ assist by ‘ Jesse James for the third goal. Jaxon ‘Magic’ Marcoux wall alone for the forth goal. And ‘ Long Horn’ with his second of the game to tie it up at 5 all, this one assisted by ‘Jesse James’.
Also over in St. Paul on the weekend some of our female hockey players playing with the St. Paul midget girls team hosted their home tournament . The rugged ‘Raging Paige’ Henderson was named the player of the game in their first game, Another one of our hard nosed players Halle ‘Comet’ Stybel was also named the player of the game in their second game. Ashley ‘HackSaw’ Hunter and Fawn Ockerman also play on the St. Paul female midget team.
And now for the K. A. Campbell quote of the week. ‘ My dad was my greatest supporter. He never put pressure on me. ‘ – Bobby Orr
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