After struggling in their previous two tournaments, and finishing the District playoffs disappointingly out of the Finals hunt, the Kent Kanucks traveled to Carleton for Provincial 'A' Zones play – season very much on the line!
After a two-week game layoff, and limited practice time over the March break, it was difficult to gauge how the team would respond to the challenge. Each of the three opposing Zones teams had faced the Kanucks in either the St. Leonard or Carleton January tournaments, and had dealt them a record of 1-1-1 over that span.
Zones play opened Friday afternoon against Haut-Madawaska, and the Kanucks seemed to chase the game throughout in what was a back and forth tilt. Haut-Madawaska held leads of 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 & 4-3 before the Kanucks finally tied the game for good in the dying minutes of the final frame; walking away with its second tie in as many games with their opponent. That setup an interesting Saturday where the Kanucks almost certainly needed to win both contests to secure the necessary seeding to move onto the Zones finals, and a berth in Provincials along with it.
On Saturday morning at 11:00 AM, the Kanucks showed up in Hartland to face Victoria-Tobique, a team it had beaten handily for its lone win in their previous 6-tourmanent games. Going into the contest, the coaching staff stressed "effort" would be key (as it always is), and to not take their opponent lightly given that they had played Carleton very tight in their first Zones game Friday, and would be in desperation mode considering another loss would eliminate them from Zone/Provincials contention. The Kanucks responded with one of their
VERY BEST efforts of the entire 2015/2016 campaign; leaving the ice after the 3rd period with a very convincing 7-0 victory.
That setup the showdown that had been inevitable, and looming as key heading into Zones weekend with the Host Carleton team, who had dealt the Kanucks a crushing 2-1 loss in their last tournament at the end of January (scoring in the final 60-seconds of the game), and basically eliminating them from contention for that tournament semi-finals. How would the Kanucks respond knowing that one game would decide whether or not they would move onto Provincials, or have their season come to an abrupt and heart breaking conclusion?
Pre-game was spent focusing players on their keys to success:
- Effort
- Positional play
- Unselfishness with the puck
- Discipline
After a very shaky start giving up an early goal to Carleton, getting it back, and then repeating that cycle, the Kanucks settled down and, again, played relentless hockey, leaving the first period with an impressive 6-2 lead, and some much appreciated breathing room in this huge contest. The second period brought much of the same, with the Kanucks pouring quality shot after quality shot at the Carleton net minder who played incredible, and only surrendered one tally during that onslaught. The second period was in the books with the Kanucks holding a commanding 7-2 lead, but determined that they were not going to play to merely protect it in the third. The effort to finish was as impressive as it was to start, saw the game end 10-4 with the Kanucks earning first seed for the Zones finals on Sunday but, more importantly, a berth in the Provincials in Renous/Sunny Corner the weekend of April 1
st!
All that remained of the weekend was the Finals at 10:00 AM on Sunday, and Haut-Madawaska standing in the Kanucks way of capturing the Peewee 'A' Zone Championship banner. After playing two very high octane games on Saturday, and needing early morning travel to Carleton on Sunday, it would have been easy for the Kanucks to have let their foot off the gas against a very worthy opponent that had tied them in their two prior meetings. The dressing room seemed more reflective and quiet than normal for pre-game, and what was to follow was something special to behold. To a player, the level of effort and commitment was beyond the coaching staff's every expectation, and it was very clear from the moment the first puck dropped that the Kanucks had come to play. The forecheck and backcheck was fierce; offering Haut-Madawaska absolutely no quarter. As important, the team play was impeccable, with players generously sharing the puck, and quality scoring opportunities, with their teammates. When the final buzzer sounded, and the dust cleared, the Kanucks had achieved a resounding 8-2 victory. Not since the St. Stephen tournament had the team play been so supremely dominant; thoroughly earning that banner, and leaving little doubt that they would be a force to be reckoned with in Renous/Sunny corner when the best ‘A’ teams this Province has to offer will assemble on the April 1
st weekend!
Well done Kanucks…let’s finish this season off in memorable style!
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