SPORTSHOUND: Avalanche Warning

Tales from the Timebox: November 17th, 2020

 

Every spring at the annual Elk Point Minor Hockey wind up banquet and awards night we present the annual Alex Kurash Memorial Award. The award goes to a U13 peewee aged player who shows improvement in all the skills such a skating, stickhandling and positional play. And would not have been considered for any other awards such as the MVP etc. This past spring just like everything else we were forced to cancel the banquet, so the award was presented just before the start of the bantam U15 game on Saturday. Timmy ‘the Freight Train’ Cardinal was the 2019/20 recipient. The Freight Train is a very smart coachable player. With his enormous size, he can pull a monster load and is great at screening a goalie’s vison when he parks his big unit in front of the net.

U13 Avalanche

Last Saturday, up in Boyle, the U13 team lost to the Blazers 6 to 2. This past Saturday, in Elk Point, the Avalanche returned the favor winning 6 to 3. Apparently last week the excuse for losing was the fact that the Avalanche after playing Lac La Biche earlier that day, lost because of playing two games in the same day. I disagree. The way I saw this game over the one I watched last Sunday, was the fact that the boys played more like a team and passed the puck. Rather than being a puck hog and trying to do it all alone like I noticed last week. Two goals for Brendon ‘Buzz Saw’ Kadutski who stood his ground firmly on the doorstep in front of the net and picked up two rebounds in the slot and buried them. Both of his goals assisted by ‘Without a Trace’ Morgan. Centerman Kale ‘the Hawk’ Ockerman not only assisted on one of the Buzz Saw goals, but he also swooped in picking up two goals of his own. Both of his assisted by Evett ‘Snoop Dog’ Smereka who played a really strong two way game and passed the puck a lot this week to his wingers.

Defenseman Braylee ‘Wee Willy’ Lesyk going coast to coast scoring twice, both of his goals unassisted. ‘Notorious Nolan’ Ballas had a strong two way game too and was robbed twice by the Blazers goalie. Notorious had a great game backchecking and creating turnovers like no other. Rookie Trayden ‘the Great’ Gadwa had the right idea heading to the front of the net, fanning on the one timer. And a terrific game between the pipes for goaltender Connor ‘Firewall’ Fawcett who totally shut the door from any intruders for most of the game.

U15 Avalanche

The U15 team played a fast and furious game against the Kitscoty Knights on Saturday right after the U13 game. The Avalanche taking an early two goal lead at the end of the first period on goals by ‘King Kong Konnor’ Poitras. The first one scored on the power play assisted by some heavy duty forechecking by ‘Bo Diddley’ Fontaine. The second goal assisted by another hard working power forward Seth ‘Motorman’ Morton. King Kong Konnor has a wicked quick release on his snap shot. The same kind of shot that Austin Matthews of the Maple Leaf’s uses when he fires the puck. ‘King Kong’ almost scored two more times ringing the puck right off the Knight’s goalies beak. Brendon ‘Blue Line’ Haesch picking up some garbage in front of the net scoring the third goal assisted by the hard working grinder ‘Kid Kade’ Fontaine. The second assist from the point by the rugged defense woman Spencer ‘Goldie Locks’ Malachowski, who did a great job of holding the line and keeping the puck on side. The game was tied at three all after forty minutes. The Knights with the help of their goalie who stoned our guys a few times came on strong in the third period. But the Avalanche seemed to sputter and run out of gas.

Avalanche goaltender Alex ‘Plywood’ Patterson doing his best boarding up the house trying to keep the puck out, but the tired team in front of him powered out, especially on the back check. The Knights scoring two goals late in the third period, both goals were scored on breakaways to win the game. On Sunday the U15 team travelled two and half hours south to Provost and took one on the chin losing 10 to 3 . It was a fairly close game for the first two periods the score 4 to 2, the majority of the Provost goals scored in the third period. Maybe what the U15s need a little more conditioning to get into game shape. And I’m sure they will get this coming week with two games on the schedule. King Kong Konnor with two goals. Kid Kade with a goal and an assist. Bo Diddley, Motorman, Gavin ‘Green Light’ Kadutski and Sam ‘the Spiderman’ Rogal all adding assists.

U18 Avalanche

The U 18 played a home and home series against the Bonnyville Pontiacs this past weekend. The first game here at home Saturday night ending in a four all tie. The Avalanche out shooting the Pontiacs by a large margin, but they couldn’t seem to rattle the Pontiacs goalie, Shayden Kozicky. Shayden looks like a natural and I think I know why, his uncle Kurt ‘the Wall’ Kozicky, was also a terrific goalie who played all his minor hockey here in Elk Point. His father Loren also played in Elk Point with my son Jordan on the provincial winning Lightning team and was one tough customer to deal with in the corners. The ‘Bonnyville Wall’ gave our boys a lot of grief, he faced 49 shots and kept the Pontiac’s in the game.

Our talented team captain ‘Lightning Liam’ Ludlage did find the twine twice on the power play. Both goals assisted by the smooth skating playmaking Charlie ‘Chuckles’ Rogal. Dallas ‘Cowboy’ Bristow putting his brand on a goal. His scored short handed. The Cowboy was steer wrestling in front of the net with their defenseman and won the battle. His assisted by Lightning Liam.

A guy with no off switch, Kalen ‘Kamikaze’ Kaziechko going all out, all night, scoring the forth goal assisted by Chuckles. Chuckles who assisted on three out of four of the goals, would make a fantastic highlight reel defensive play late in the game. Forced to dive, he scooped the puck away without tripping the Pontiacs forward who was at least three or four strides ahead of him. Brady ‘Bionic Man’ Hymanyk throwing out some bone crushing checks. Faster than the speed of light ‘Wild Man’ Wyatt Pavoll was on the prowl all game long forechecking like crazy creating turnovers galore . On Sunday in the return trip to Bonnyville the Avalanche winning this one 5 to 3. The Cowboy pulling the trigger for two goals, ‘King Cole’ Bendixen with one goal and an assist, Chuckles with one goal and an assist. And Evan ‘Batman’ Ockerman with his first goal in two years. The Batman is back with the team after taking two years off and looks better than ever. It takes a county mile to get around this defenseman with his height and long reach, and he’s pretty darn good at poking the puck away. Lightning Liam with a couple of assists, Matthew ‘Boss Man’ Quinney and ‘Mick Jagger’ Fontaine with a helpers as well. Rookie goalie Vanden ‘Super Mario’ Moroziuk picking up his second win of the year.

U9 Avalanche

The U 9 team split a double header Saturday morning up in Bonnyville . The Avalanche winning the first game 7 to 5. A hat trick for Ava ‘Little Angel’ Rawlake in the first game .Two goals for ‘Mount Everett’ Hahn. Stetson ‘Shack’ Reynolds and Lennox ‘All Out’ St. Arnault with one goal each. The second game Bonnyville would win 12 to 8. Angel, All Out, and Grayson ‘Big Bang’ Koppang with two goals each. Mount Everett Hahn and Tor ‘Tornado’ Aarbo with one goal each. Goaltender Hudson ‘the Hammer’ Krankowski played awesome and loved it behind the mask in his goaltending debut.

U11 Avalanche

The U 11 team played a strong game at home Friday night against St Paul winning 11 to 1. Seven goals for number seven ‘Wild Wyatt’ Fonatine. He also added two helpers. Kestyn ‘Crocodile’ Quinney with a goal and two assists. Jaxon ‘Smitty’ Smith with a goal and an assist. Remingon ‘Steel’ Reynolds with a goal and an assist. Liam ‘Sled Dog’ Swedgen pulling his weight with one goal. Four assists for the set up man Jaxon ‘Magic’ Marcoux. And Jesse James Penner also adding an assist.

K.A. Campbell quote of the week. ‘ Golly gee willikers’ – the late hockey analyst Howie Meeker who recently passed away at 97 years old.