Avalanche Bring the House Down to Win Their Home Tournament

Well folks, if you weren’t at the rink this weekend, you missed a gooder. The U11 Elk Point Avalanche laced ’em up for their home tournament and put on one whale of a show, battling teams from Sherwood Park, Beaumont, Spruce Grove, Edmonton and Fort McMurray. The barn was buzzing, the kids were flying, and by Sunday afternoon the Avalanche were skating off with the championship banner tucked safely under their arm.

 

Final vs Fort McMurray – A Wild One

 

The title game against Fort Mac looked more like a track meet than a hockey game at times, with chances going back and forth faster than I could scribble them down. Both teams came to play, but the Avalanches’ top guns were just too much to handle.

 

Leading the way — no surprise here — was captain Cohen “Big Horn” Brousseau, who had his stick working like a magic wand. Big Horn pumped in six goals in the final. Six! The kid was everywhere. If there was a loose puck in the slot, he had it. If there was a rebound kicking out, he finished it. If there was a breakaway to be had, he took it.

 

You could practically hear the goal judge asking for a raise.

 

His younger brother, Gavin “The Badger” Brousseau, chipped in with a beauty of his own. The Badger was buzzing around all game, digging in the corners, getting greasy, and making life tough for Fort Mac every time he hit the ice.

 

And then there’s Landon “Lights Out” St. Arnault on the back end. When this kid decides to go, he goes. Lights Out jumped up into the rush and buried a big one, skating end-to-end like he was shot out of a cannon.

 

Jasper Hymanyk hammered home another one late to give the Avalanche some breathing room, and Mya “The Magnificent” Lorenson kept her strong weekend rolling by being right in the middle of the action shift after shift.

 

Whiskeyjack Between the Pipes

 

Big games need big goaltending, and Tydis “Whiskeyjack” Cardinal delivered. He faced his fair share of rubber in the final — Fort Mac threw the kitchen sink, the taps, and maybe a couple of cupboard doors at him — but Whiskeyjack held strong. Calm. Cool. Collected. Just like the old-time netminders who didn’t wear masks and had to eat pucks for breakfast.

 

The Rest of the Crew

 

And let’s not forget the supporting cast.

Maximus “To the Max” Laliberte, Brady “The Bulldozer” Heathcote, Blake “The Rattlesnake” Fontaine, and Damian “Fog Horn” Ockerman were all grinding away, making the little plays that win hockey games — winning puck races, forcing turnovers, and moving the puck up ice with purpose.

 

Every one of them had moments that mattered.

 

Final Score

Elk Point Avalanche 9 – Fort McMurray 7

 

Goals:

• Big Horn — 6
• The Badger — 1
• Lights Out — 1
• Hymanyk — 1

 

 

A barn burner of a final and a well-earned banner on home ice.

Great job, kids — you made the hometown crowd proud.