Photo by Photo Submitted
LIKE THAT – Whitehorse Huskies Conner Labar, right, celebrates a goal during last weekend’s spring hockey tournament in Kelowna B.C. while teammate Kayden Smith rushes the net.
Photo by Photo Submitted
DIGGIN’ IN – Whitehorse Huskies forward Luke Cozens, right, attempts to break away from an opponent during play at last weekend’s tournament in Kelowna, B.C.
Development Huskies win gold in Kelowna hockey tournament
With tenacity and soft hands, the Whitehorse Huskies development team returned home over the weekend with gold from the Kelowna Red Heat Blast spring hockey tournament.
With tenacity and soft hands, the Whitehorse Huskies development team returned home over the weekend with gold from the Kelowna Red Heat Blast spring hockey tournament.
“I think our speed amongst the other teams was key,” head coach Derek Johnstone said in an interview Monday. “We really started well and some of our passing was really impressive.
“If you are skating like that and passing like that, you’re going to be tough to beat.”
The team of nine- and 10-year-old Huskies – mostly nine-year-olds – went undefeated in five games to earn the gold, ending with a 5-4 final over the Kelowna Heat host team.
The Huskies went down 2-1 after the first period of the championship game, with Chayce Tuton scoring the lone goal.
It was the first time in the tournament the Whitehorse club trailed on the scoreboard.
The Huskies fought back with four goals in the second to go up 5-2 on markers by Tyson Mathews, Conner Labar, Gavin McKenna and Luke Cozens.
But the host team notched two in the third on a come-back drive that fell just short.
“We played for six minutes with a one-goal lead,” Johnstone said. “It was a great game to the finish.
“It was the first time we trailed in the tournament but we did bounce back in the second, and that was nice to see them bounce back because you never know how they will respond.”
Cozens was the Huskies leading goal scorer with 12 goals through the five games on the strength of three hat tricks.
McKenna had a four-goal night in the 8-2 win over the Kamloops Ice Pirates.
The Huskies opened the tournament Friday with an 8-6 win over the Kamloops Heat before moving on to defeat the Tri-City Americans 7-4 and then the Ice Pirates.
They earned a berth in Sunday’s final with a dominant 9-3 win in the semifinal over the Prince George Junior Whalers.
Johnstone said Huskies goalie Taylor Bierlmeier was rock-solid for the club throughout the tournament.
The Huskies development team was started a couple of years ago.
Johnstone said they’ll finish off their spring season with one more tournament, in Edmonton beginning June 3.
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Comments (2)
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Geoff Q on May 4, 2016 at 1:42 pm
Great to hear these success stories. Kudos to coach Johnstone - from all the media coverage it's clear that you've invested tons of energy into these kids this year - and the on-ice results show us how lucky they are to have you!
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Al Dunlop on May 3, 2016 at 6:57 pm
Yah! 'Way to go team. What a great showing. Undefeated!! Must be great coaching!