The Yukon Gold Diggers women’s hockey team – formed specifically to compete in spring hockey tournaments – came back with the gold from the Calgary Women’s Spring Hockey Tournament.

The team, formed of players who compete in the Whitehorse Women’s Hockey Association, competed in a rec league division of four teams.

Player Ashtyn Sandulak said this was the first time this year the team has gone outside the territory for a tournament.

They participated in the Rendezvous Hockey Tournament earlier in the season, but other than that Sandulak said they just “decided to wing it” and go down without having practiced very much as a full group.

But the team – who have played with and against each other for many years – came together quickly and played to a 1-1 draw in their first of three round-robin games in the tournament against Fort Bang.

Sandulak had the lone goal of the game for the team and she said it was a tough one for the team because they only landed from their flight a couple hours before the game and it took them a while to get going.

In the second game against the Saskatoon Cougars, the Gold Diggers won 5-3 led by a hat trick from Katie Vanderstelt.

The final round-robin game against the Coyotes saw some familiar faces for the Yukon team.

Three Yukoners ventured down to play for the team to join former Yukoners who recently moved to Winnipeg to play on this squad.

Team manager Jess Nadeau, who didn’t play in the tournament due to injury, said that it was a great game and one that both teams really wanted to win because of the familiarity.

The Gold Diggers again came out on top by a score of 4-2.

Nadeau is the organizer for the team along with Helen Christiansen as they wanted the opportunity for a team to go outside the territory for a tournament and play against different competition.

She said planning for the team started in November to ensure they had enough members to register for the Calgary tournament.

Nadeau said they ask players if they would be interesting in joining the team for the spring tournament and usually have no time getting the numbers, but don’t get to practice as a full team.

“It kind of changes every year. We don’t always have the same team,” Nadeau said. “It was a lot of fun. All four teams were equally matched and there were no blowout games.”

The Gold Diggers met the Cougars in a very tight tournament final.

They found themselves down 2-0 early but got three quick goals to take the lead in the third.

The Cougars tied it back up with 10 minutes to go and Sandulak scored the game winner in the third period on a breakout pass from Tracey Bilsky.

“It felt good. It was a good way to end the hockey season,” Sandulak said. “To go down there and win a tournament with a bunch of your good teammates.”

With the Gold Diggers going down to the Calgary tournament for several years, Nadeau said this was the first time they won the tournament.

Peewee Huskies in Osoyoos

The Gold Diggers weren’t the only hockey team participating in a spring tournament outside the territory on the weekend.

The 2006-born Whitehorse Huskies spring hockey team took part in their first tournament of the season at the Osoyoos Desert Classic.

The team finished the round-robin tournament with a 1-3 record. In their first game of the tournament, the Huskies took on the Okanagan Jr. Bombers, which they dropped 7-3.

The Bombers went on to win the tournament.

Huskies assistant coach Justin Halowaty said via email that the team had a slow start and were down 4-0 early, but were able to play evenly against the Bombers the rest of the way losing 7-3.

Later that day, the Huskies took on the BC Blackhawks which Halowaty said was an exciting end-to-end game, which they lost 3-2 on a late power-play goal.

The Huskies dropped their third game 4-0 against PNW, which Halowaty said was a hard-fought game with the scoreline not accurately reflecting the game. He said the Huskies played a very close game and outshot PNW.

In their final round-robin game, the Huskies faced off against the Chilliwack Jr. Chiefs in a back-and-forth game with many lead changes that the Huskies pulled out by a score of 6-5.

Halowaty said the team played well in their first tournament of the season while many of their opponents already had experience.

The team was thrilled to have their head coach Derek Johnstone join them, Halowaty said, as he continues to recover in Vancouver from a spine injury he suffered in February.

“He is a true inspiration with his recovery to date for the players as to what hard work can do,” Halowaty said of his fellow coach.

The team will continue their regular practices before heading off to their second tournament of the season in Vancouver with two games on April 27.