SPORTSHOUND: Everybody clap now

Tales from the Timebox: November 10th, 2020

As much as all of us will be happy to see this year end there is some positives to look forward to. Every year we get a new batch of hockey players.

Some of them can just barely skate and look like spring colts trying to stand up on the ice. Most of them just standing staring up into the stands and not really paying any attention to the puck or other players at all.

But after a few games they will get the itch and the next thing you know they will be off like a wild racehorse.

First-timers & the U7 Avalanche

Playing in their first game ever, Raiden Savadra, Aiden ‘Bumblebee’ Barstad, Kenzie Leathem, Cohen ‘Big Horn’ Brousseau, Bryan Tetlock and Casey Bunney. Everyone one of them touched the puck at least a few times.

There is nothing like watching your son or daughter or grandchild play in their very first hockey game. Every player gets a turn in net. Bumble Bee Barstad took a few turns in the net, but she really didn’t care much about the puck or notice when in went in. She was too busy scanning the crowd for her gramma Marie, her auntie Lori and cousin Jenna who all got up early on a Saturday morning to watch the busy little bee.

Second year players stand out for sure, like Landon ‘Lights Out’ St. Arnault, who was stuck to the puck like a glue and was all over the ice. He was good for a couple of assists. Thomas ‘Tom Cat’ Morris another veteran who looks like he has the potential to make a great goalie or defenseman, he came up with some big stick saves. Jase ‘Jackal’ Malo was impossible to stop, he ripped five goals into the twine. Aspyn ‘Machine Gun’ Kelly was another one who you can tell is in her second year and very, very competitive. She had an assist and unloaded at least 10 bullets on net. She scored on one of them for sure. Playing for the opposition the Glendon Comets, was Murry and Wanda’s grandson Jace Hanson. He scored a number of goals for them. Apparently some arenas have a rule that your not allowed to cheer, but I certainly hope it doesn’t happen here and they don’t take away our hands so we can clap. These little guys deserve it!

U9 Avalanche

Right after the U7 game the U9s hit the ice. You wouldn’t think two years could possibly make that big of a difference, but it certainly does. These guys came out of the gate like gang busters. Hudson ‘the Bull’ Brousseau busting out of pen seeing the red light, he lit it up 10 times. One of them a real beauty going top shelf. He also assisted on 5 others. Lennox  ‘All Out’ St. Arnault kicking it into high gear for 9 goals and some helpers. Ava ‘Little Angel’ Rawlake was very persistent, she scored 7 goals and was knocking on the door for about 7 more. Point man Hudson ‘Hammer’ Krankowski scored 2 goals and more importantly stopped a number on the Pontiac’s players in their tracks while playing defense. Stetson ‘Shack’ Reynolds coming down the track scored 2 goals, he set up 3 others . Cousin Tor ‘Tornado’ Aarbo doing the same, blowing by the defense scoring 2 goals and he also assisting on 3 others. Jadyn ‘the Shark’ Sakowski couldn’t buy a goal on this day, but assisted on two or more of them and did some great forechecking. General Lee Barstad scored one right at the sound of the buzzer, he hammered it in again after the buzzer for insurance. Grayson ‘Big Bang’ Koppang didn’t make a lot of noise scoring but certainly played an awesome game on defense giving his goalie ‘Cool Hand Luke’ Osinchuk a hand.

U11 Avalanche

The U 11 team played three games this past weekend winning big time of Friday night 12 to 7 over the St Paul Canadiens. Seven goals for number seven ‘Wild Wyatt’ Fontaine. A hat trick for the lanky long legged long armed Jaxon ‘Smitty’ Smith. William ‘Billy Bob’ Ballas and Jaxon ‘Magic’ Marcoux cashing in with one goal each. Remington ‘Steel’ Reynolds with three assists, Kestyn ‘Crocodile’ Quinney and ‘Major Tom’ Thomas Melnyk with one assist each.

Saturday during that terrible snow storm the Avalanche travelled to Irma to play the Aces winning this one by one goal Tristan ‘Bobcat’ Brousseau scoring with 30 seconds left on the clock to get the winner. He also added an assist earlier in the game. Wild Wyatt on a tear again scoring 8 goals. Remington Steel with a goal and two assists, Smitty with one. And a new player coming over from pond hockey Liam Swedgen getting his first goal of the season. Liam is already looking like he could become a very aggressive fore checker and l he will fit in very well with these group. On Sunday Irma returned to Elk Point for another barn burner this one ending in a 7 all tie. Five goals and as assist for Wild Wyatt. Bobcat and Smitty with one goal each. The Aces goalie coming up big on Remington Steel who was just about the hero with only a few seconds on the clock.

U13 Avalanche

The U13 also played a three game weekend doing a road trip to Lac La Biche Saturday morning , then swinging over to Boyle later in the day. On Sunday they hosted Lac La Biche back at the dome. In the first game against the Clippers the Avalanche winning a tight one 3 to 2. The first two goals scored by Evett ‘Snoop Dog’ Smereka, who was sniffing around the net the whole game. One of them assisted by ‘Without a Trace’ Morgan and one assisted by Brendon ‘Buzz Saw’ Kadutski. Kale ‘the Hawk’ Ockerman scoring the winner with only 3.37 left on the clock. His goal assisted by Billy Bob Ballas and Trystn ‘Spectatular’ Sakowski.

Spectatular has improved his skating skills 100 percent over last season, due in part I’m sure to the power skating lessons he is taking from his team manager Dennell Anderson. He has a pretty good knack of picking a player’s pocket too creating turnovers. Goaltender Connor Fawcett shutting the door.

Connor is another new player to the Avalanche and we are happy and lucky to have him. He has great size and is very quick moving side to side between the pipes. Heading over to Boyle for the second game of the day the Avalanche did not fair nearly as well losing this one 6 to 2. The Hawk and Kaysen ‘Dynamite’ DeMossiac with the only goals. Both of them scoring all alone unassisted.

On Sunday after a horrendous drive home in the wicked blinding snow storm the Avalanche would win 4 to 1 over the Clippers. Braylee ‘Wee Willy’ Lesyk with a goal and an assist, Dynamite with a goal and an assist The Hawk and Without a Trace with one goal each, Snoop Dog and Trayden Gadwa each with an assist. Trayden is another new player coming over from pond hockey who is looking like he will fit in just fine with a little bit of extra work skating and working on his starts and stops.

And a big happy belated birthday for my granddaughter Farrah Colbourne, who turned 9 yesterday and 15th birthday going out today to former Storm player Rylee ‘the Rocket’ Warawa.

K.A. Campbell quote of the week. “ If you have the power to make someone happy, do it. The world needs more of that.” – Charlie Brown and his dog Snoopy