Tales from the Timebox: Wrapping up before the Holidays

Photo: Santa visits the AG Ross Fundraising Committee on Wings n’ Things night.

 

This is always a busy time of year, with everyone hustling to finish their Christmas shopping and wrap up the first half of the hockey season. Here’s a look at how our Avalanche teams performed in their final games before the break.

U15 Avalanche: Thrills, Spills, and Victories

The U15 team kicked off the weekend at home on Thursday night at the A.G. Ross Arena, hosting the Cold Lake Ice. The Avalanche came out strong, leading 6-2 going into the third period, but things got slippery as they barely held on for a 6-5 win.

Standout performances included William “Billy Bob” Ballas with two goals and an assist, and Cade “Easy Money” Elliott contributing a goal and an assist. Grayson “Slim” Skakum, Liam “The Sledgehammer” Swedgen, and Jaxon “Smitty” Smith each added a goal, while “Wild Wyatt” Fontaine, Jesse James Penner, Jaxon “Magic” Marcoux, and Reece “Stone Cold” Winterbottom contributed assists. Goaltender Theo “Longhorn” Loughran-Quinney faced 29 shots in the effort.

On Saturday, the U15 team travelled east to the Border City and delivered a dominant 7-0 win over the Blazers. “Wild Wyatt” led the charge with three goals and three assists, while Tristian “Bobcat” Brousseau scored twice. “Smitty” added a goal and two assists, with “Stone Cold” chipping in another goal. Jesse James, “Magic,” and “The Sledgehammer” rounded out the score sheet with assists. Ollie “The Goalie” Owen Grykuliak secured the shutout with 32 saves.

U18 Avalanche: A Hard-Fought Draw

The U18 Avalanche faced off against the St. Paul Canadiens on Saturday evening, battling to a 4-4 tie. Madden “Mad Dog” Flamand had a stellar game with a goal and an assist, while “Without a Trace” Morgan, “Top Gunner” Crawford, and Braylee “Free Willy” Lesyk each scored one goal. The Kadutski brothers, Gavin “Green Light” and Brendan “Buzz Saw,” added assists. Goaltender “Goodyear Charlie” Lesyk faced an astounding 54 shots to keep the Avalanche in the game.

U13 Avalanche: A Stunning Comeback Victory

The U13 team pulled off an unforgettable 7-6 come-from-behind win on Saturday at home against the Mallaig Monarchs. Trailing 3-1 after two periods, the Avalanche surged back, scoring six goals in the third period, including three in the final three minutes. “Fearless Frank” Killiam scored the game-winner with just 49 seconds left and added two assists.

Hudson “The Bull” Brousseau netted two goals, and Tor “The Tornado” Aarbo tied the game and assisted on the winner. Grayson “Big Bang” Koppang, Delany “Downtown” Swedgen, and Hudson “The Hammer” Krankowsky each scored, while Hunter “Hardrock” Pankiw worked the corners for three assists. Goaltender “Major Tom” Melnyk faced 47 shots for the win.

U11 Avalanche: Big Wins and Tough Lessons

The U11 Avalanche travelled to Mallaig on Saturday, cruising to an impressive 15-5 win. Cohen “Big Horn” Brousseau led the way with six goals and an assist. Jase “The Jackal” Malo scored a hat trick and added an assist, while Raiden “Radar” Savadra tallied a goal and two assists.

Other contributors included Aspyn “Machine Gun Kelly” with two goals, and Christian “Bones 2.0” Yaremkevich, “Hurricane Kael” Large, and Maximus “To the Max” Laliberte each adding one goal. “Jumbo Jay” Large chipped in with an assist.

On Sunday, the team faced a tougher challenge at home against the Lloydminster Blazers, falling 10-3. “The Jackal” scored twice, with Thomas “The Tank” Morris adding a goal and “Bones 2.0” contributing an assist. It was the first meeting of the season between these two teams, and the Avalanche will undoubtedly be better prepared for their next encounter.

A Well-Deserved Holiday Break

With the first half of the season complete, all Avalanche teams will now take a well-earned Christmas break.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our players, families, and fans! And Santa, if you’re listening, how about a Stanley Cup for the Maple Leafs this year? If it’s not too much to ask!