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Pictured: The Elk Point Novice Avalanche

Tales from the Timebox: December 4th, 2018

Novice Avalanche

The A.G. Ross Arena, in Elk Point, was packed with young and old for a one-day Novice tournament the Avalanche hosted. It was a four team tournament, with two teams coming from St Paul and one from Beaumont, plus us, the host.

The concession cashing in big time, the draw tables and 50/50’s doing really well too. What a terrific job the coaching staff, manager and parents did to make it a fun day for everyone. Every team played three games plus every player on every team was involved in a shoot out that kept the crowd on their feet.

“Billy Bob” Ballas was the goalie for the Avalanche when they played Beaumont and was bombarded by the rubber. He took one off the beak and made an awesome toe save too. He was in the net for the shoot out and could hardly get a chance to catch his breath facing all the players on both of the teams. About 35 shooters one right after the other.

Jackson “J.R.” Rawlake scored two goals on the shootout, going up stairs with one on “Billy Bob” and sliding one in on the ice against the Hawks goalie.

Theo “Long Horn” Loughran was doing the goaltending duties in the first game against St Paul coming up with some huge saves too. The final game against a second St Paul team, Jaxon “Magic” Marcoux putting on the big pads for the first time ever. Everyone on the team contributed in some way with goals and assists “Major Tom” Melnyk, “Wild Wyatt” Fontaine, Remington “Steel” Reynolds, Jaxon “Smitty” Smith, “Jesse James” Penner, Kestyn Quinney, Ryder “Rhino” Malo and Denys “the Menace” Kuba.

Midget Avalanche

No snow all day Saturday, but everyone was shocked, my self included, when I woke up Sunday morning and had to shovel a path just to get to my truck. It seems to me that every time these two teams have played the weather could have been better. A few weeks ago the Midget Avalanche traveled up to Lac La Biche and it was freezing rain that night. Sunday afternoon when the Clippers returned to Elk Point the snow had just finished falling after dumping about 8 inches of the white stuff. The highway was not at that good. But one thing is for sure, the competition between these two teams couldn’t be better.

Last time when these two teams played the game up in Lac La Biche the game ended in a 4 all tie. This time, it was another very close battle, but in the end the Avalanche couldn’t seal the deal, coming up just one goal short to tie the game or two goals short to win. The game was tied one all after the first period.

Talented skater Charlie “Chuckles” Rogal scored the first goal, assisted by the slippery Nick “Sparky” Anderson and his big brother “Hank the Tank” Rogal. A busy second period for us working in the time box with lots of penalties and then power play goals on both sides. Hayden “Hot Wheels” Ludlage scored on the power play, assisted by Sparky and Chuckles. Then “King Cole” Bendixon would find the mesh on a nice set up by Jaden “Jet Stream” Van Maarion and “Lightning Liam” Ludlage. The same line would do it again less than one minute later, this time Lightning Liam  scoring assisted by Jet Stream and King Cole. But the Clippers kept pace and scored on the power play.

The game was tied four all after forty minutes. The Clippers with a short bench, only two lines and the Avalanche with a full bench, in theory the Clippers should have powered out in the third period. But as it turns out the Clippers seemed to be coming on stronger as the game went on, out shooting the Avalanche in the third period 16 to 10.

Then half way through the third period the Avalanche ran into penalty troubles,. They were playing without two men, who were serving time in sin bin, when the Clippers took the lead on the five on three and held it for the remaining 10 minutes. Overall the Avalanche out shot the Clippers 42 to 37 but needed to find a way to get someone in the goalies face. He played pretty darn good, especially when he could see the puck, but so did our guy, Colton “Colt 45” Van Maarion, he stopped a lot of rubber and faced a lot of traffic in the front of him.

Atom Avalanche

The Atom Avalanche traveled to Thorsby on the weekend to play in their tournament. Their first game Saturday was against Sherwood Park and was close all the way through. The coaching staff pulling the goalie “Good Year” Charlie for the extra attacker in the final minute but it wasn’t enough the Avalanche losing 4 to 2. Later that afternoon they played against Hobbema in a barn burner the final score a 4 all tie. The next day their game was against the host, Thorsby, the Avalanche playing another nail biter this one also finishing in a 4 all tie.

The Avalanche with a record of one loss and two ties didn’t have enough points to advance to the final and headed home taking their time on the snow covered and slippery roads. All the kids had tons of fun on the ice and after the games in the pool etc. and that is what tournaments are all about. Having fun while team bonding. This coming week the Atoms will bond together when they play Saturday in Frog Lake.

And now for the K.A. Campbell quote of the week. ” Unity is strength. When there is teamwork and collaboration wonderful things can be achieved. ‘ – Mattie Stepanek