Submitted story /
North Vancouver Minor’s Peewee A3 team enjoyed a unique experience in early December when they traveled to Princeton for two exhibition games against the South Okanagan Thunder Peewee Rep team.
Most of the South Okanagan Minor Hockey Association team was from Oliver and Osoyoos but there were three local Princeton boys who enjoyed a visit to their hometown, also home to the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League’s Princeton Posse (Junior B).
The North Van team’s objectives for the travel weekend were to bond as a team and enjoy a different hockey experience. And both objectives were achieved in full.
Despite the travel report of slippery sections and compact snow, the Hope-Princeton Highway was very kind to parent drivers and everyone arrived safely on the other side of the mountains.
The standard hotel activities of wrestling and dog piles were key for the boys to gel together off the ice. The ‘small town’ freedom – where the candy store and Dairy Queen were within walking distance – was a treat for the kids which let the parents enjoy the evening, too.
South Okanagan won both games by a six-goal margin, but despite the numerical gap, the boys from the Coast were heavily involved in both games.
The North Van team is still recovering from the two-hour ice times in the Interior that allowed for three full 20-minute periods – that’s a lot of hockey when you’re only used to 75-minute games.
Not only was there lots of time, but there was lots of checking too. The games were quite a different style of hockey than what North Van is used to in league play.
The constant knocks off the puck – not big or aggressive hits, just constant hits – caught the North Van Storm off guard at first but they quickly learnt to pass the puck right away and dodge the hits.
The coaches and parents were very pleased with the level of play demonstrated by the team – everyone rose to the occasion and fought for the puck.
Being forced to use their breakouts and systems to move the puck was a great development opportunity for the boys.
Not only did they avoid many more hits in the second game than the first, but they started giving them back, too.
Coach Tim was especially impressed with the little guys on the team.
“They got right in there and didn’t shy away at all,” he said.
Goalie Brendan Henderson faced upwards of 30 shots each game, which gave him lots of opportunity to break in his new pads and make some amazing saves.
The team was all fired up upon their return home.
They applied their newly developed skills and tactics the very next day with a decisive win in league play.
North Van Peewee A3 is having a fantastic season with an 8-3-3 record and developing well as a team.
The team is looking forward to building on the weekend’s experience as they play some higher level teams in the North Vancouver Minor Peewee A Christmas tournament in late December. |