Hockey Day in Elk Point

What better way to spend hockey day in Canada than down at the rink. The Micro-Novice parents and players did just that hosting a eight team tournament for the little guys. I bet they were happy to go home though when it was over and could give their feet a rest after working all day at the concession and the raffle table. This little guys remind me of bumper cars playing on the half ice they can’t get too revved up and hurt each other. Most of them just putting along doing their own thing. Hockey at this level is all about having fun and the Micro-Novice kids and parents certainly know how to do that. Usually the kids are  more interested in what kind of snack their grandparents are going to buy after the game then worrying about who scored or who won the game. Great job by all the parents who deserved a big pat on the back and the rest of the weekend off after hosting this event.

 

I always liked being down by a goal, rather than up by one or two goals, in a two game total point series in the second game. It’s easier as a coach to motivate your team to battle hard when they know they have to. One or two goals is okay, not more than two. It  worked this past week for the Atom Avalanche provincial team.

The first game of the two game total point series the Avalanche lost to the Vermilion Tigers on this past Tuesday night in Vermilion 4 to 3. ‘Notorious Nolan’ Ballas, Kale ‘the Hawk’ Ockerman and ‘Wild Wyatt’ Fontaine scoring. Coming home Thursday night down a goal, the Avalanche seemed a little more desperate than the Tigers and put 10 shots on net in the first period, compared to the Tigers  4 shots.  And the extra effort  paid off when they scored the first goal late in the first period to tie the series.

This wasn’t just a fluky one either. It was a short handed goal.  ‘Without a Trace Morgan finding the back of the net assisted by  Jaxon ‘Smitty’ Smith. Instead of holding back on the defensive killing the penalty, the long legged. Smitty decided to run with it and so did his little sidekick Trace who was in the right place at the right time putting one into the twine!

After two periods the series was still tied. ‘Free Willy’ Braylee Lesyk and Remington ‘Steel’ Reynolds both scoring one on the power play in the second period. The Tigers replied with two of their own to keep the series tied after forty minutes. The tension in the building was getting intense. The winner was going on to the next round the losers going home. Half way through the third period, scoring his second goal of the game,  Without a Trace’ on the power play assisted by ‘Wild Wyatt’ Fontaine and ‘Notorious Nolan’ Ballas giving the Avalanche the one goal lead. Then late in the third period Free Willy would hit the ocean going  coast to coast add two more goals, both of them unassisted,  giving him a hat trick and capping of the evening with the 6 to 2 win. The Avalanche moving on now to the second round against St Paul.  The second game of that series will be on tonight at the 6.45 at the A.G. Ross Arena,

Just like a big snow ball rolling down a mountain Bantam Avalanche keep rolling over teams. This past Saturday night they defeated the Vermilion Tigers 13 to 0 . Another shut out for goalie Vanden ‘Super Mario’ Moroziuk. I lost count on how many shut outs  he has had this year, but its likely 7 or 8 by now. A Brady Bunch of goals for Brady ‘ Bionic Man’ Hymanyk who played a heck of a game scoring a hat trick. Five  goals for the league leader ‘Mick Jager’ Fontaine. Dean the Machine Ockerman, Seth ‘ Motorman’ Morton, Landon ‘the Magnificient’ Malachowski, Josef’ the Red’ Theriault, Kade’ the Kid’ Fonatine  and Cea Jay ‘ Quick Draw’ Quinney with one goal each. Sam ‘Spiderman’ Rogal, Ryan ‘Ram Rod’ Cameron and Wyatt’ Wild Thing’ Pavoll suppling some of the assists.

I’m not sure if this was planned or not? But a lot of the parents do have kids on both the Bantam and Peewee team so maybe it was. At  the same time as the Bantam game was going on, in the other rink that is attached,  the Peewee Avalanche also played against the Vermilion Tigers on Saturday. Their game was a much closer match up though. The Avalanche losing a close one in the end 4 to 3. ‘Top Gunner’ Crawford  with two goals both of them assisted by his wing man  ‘Bo Diddley’ Fontaine. Brendon ‘Blue Line’ Haesch with the other goal his assisted by his defensive partner ‘Hurricane Kayl ‘ Warawa.

On Sunday the Peewee team was on the road  to Glendon playing another really tight game winning this one 3 to 2 . Towering winger Timmy ‘the Freight Train’ Cardinal staying on  the track with the first goal assisted by speedy center-man Kaleb ‘ Formula One’ Flamand. Gavin ‘ Green Light ‘ Kadutski going full out scoring the second assisted by Madden ‘ Mad Dog ‘ Flamand. Team captain Brendon ‘ Blue Line ‘ Heasch with the winner his assisted by the set up man ‘ Bo Diddley’ Fontaine.

The Novice Avalanche played in Dewberry this past Sunday. A great team effort in this one, everyone pitched in. Theo ‘Long Horn’ Loughran between the pipes coming up with some huge saves. William ‘Billy Bob’ Ballas with five goals and four assist. ‘Little Angel’ Ava Rawlake with three goals and two assists. Jesse James Penner pulling the trigger on his six shooter. Six goals and an assist for him. Hudson ‘Hammer’ Krankowski cranking in two goals and added an assisted. Avree ‘the Aggressor’ Lesyk with two goals and two assists. Lennox ‘All Out’ St Arnault with a goal and two assists. Hayden Badger with three assists. Luke Osinchuk getting in on the action with a helper too.