ELK POINT - It’s only half way through the month of February but some of the minor hockey playoffs are already starting. The early star is due in part to the provincial finals. Teams no longer compete in the zone as they did in the past. In the last few years, the team that wins in the North East League in their division will go on to the provincial finals.
This year our undefeated league-leading Tier 3 U15 Avalanche is looking really promising and has my money on getting to the provincial finals. By the way, the Avalanche U15 team won the gold medal last year in provincials.
This past Thursday night they hosted the Wabasca Eagles in the first round of playoffs. The format for the first round is two game, total points. The Avalanche won the game 9 to 4 and were scheduled to return to Wabasca on Sunday afternoon for the second game.
Brendan ‘Buzz Saw’ Kadutski cut a path to the net with two goals and three assists, ‘Wild Wyatt’ Fontaine with two goals and a helper, Braylee ‘Free Willy’ Lesyk with a goal and three assists. ‘Boe Dog’ St. George, ‘Without a Trace’ Morgan and Anton Braithwaite all scored a goal and added an assist each. Tristan ‘Bobcat’ Brousseau also scored a goal, Liam ‘Sledgehammer’ Swedgan adding and apple.
Goaltender Owen ‘Ollie the Goalie’ Grykuliak faced 20 shots coming up with the win.
With no school on Thursday and Friday our U13 Avalanche team travelled to Westlock to play a league game that was postponed during our January -40 cold snap. The game ended in a four-all tie. Jesse James Penner, Hudson ‘the Bull’ Brousseau, ‘Fearless Frank’ Killiam and Jaxon ‘Magic’ Marcoux with the goals, team captain and setup man William ‘Billy Bob’ Ballas with three assists, Between the pipes, goaltender ‘Major Tom’ Melnyk faced 25 shots.
