John Wilmshurst |Special to the 51暗网
There is a calm in the Bearcats鈥� game that drives their opposition crazy.
Our boys are not big (at least most of them), and they are not many (only 13), but they play like a legion of behemoth monks.
As they outwork teams, win puck battles, win races to cleared pucks, grind out a penalty kill, the Bearcats play with a patience and vision for the game that defeats teams twice their size and stature.
Last weekend our Bantam team invited five of the best teams from their tier in central Alberta for their annual tournament.
And they turned some heads.
It all started early on Saturday morning against the Camrose Vikings, a classy team who would eventually skate off with the C-final trophy.
Tired kids made for a slow first period and were it not for Rowan Koss鈥� goal at the halfway mark, I would have nothing to write.
Tight going into the first intermission, Jasper put the hammer down in the second period, scoring three more unanswered goals off the sticks of Sebastian Golla, Michael Hayashi and Ty Crozier.
Camrose mounted a third-period comeback, drawing to within a pair with 15 minutes left to play, but then Liam Crozier closed the door burying a perfect pass from Tanner Carlton, his second setup for a goal in the game, giving the Bearcats a five to two lead that would hold until the final buzzer.
Ty was named the Bearcats MVP for the game, and he deserved it, with a goal and some serious hustle.
The puck dropped at 5 p.m. for game two for the Bearcats.
This time the Edmonton Spurs filled the visitors鈥� bench, and I mean filled it with 19 large teenagers.
But whatever confidence the Spurs had, eying our sparse team, quickly evaporated when our boys pinned them in their own zone for the opening five minutes.
Reeling, the Spurs鈥� coaches called an early timeout to regroup.
The Bearcats then proceeded to cycle the puck in the Edmonton zone for three-quarters of what remained of the period, with only the Spurs鈥� goalie keeping them in it.
He faced a barrage of 23 shots, stopping all but two; the first a delivery by Jacob Bartziokas who went end-to-end for Jasper鈥檚 first goal and then Golla with a minute to play in the frame.
The Spurs did get a goal in one of the rare moments they darkened Jasper鈥檚 defensive zone.
Bearcats鈥� netminder, Donovan Fawcett was otherwise solid, but not busy.
Edmonton could have made it interesting in the second with power play opportunities but could barely get the puck to the neutral zone, let alone pose a threat.
Meanwhile, Owen Kearnan gave Jasper a two-goal lead, banging in a loose puck in a goalmouth scramble.
Early in their third, the Spurs drew to within one again, but two incredible Bearcat goals sealed their fate.
The first was Bartziokas鈥� second goal; a 200-foot clearance that slid under the Spur netminder鈥檚 stick.
Minutes later it was Hayashi, standing near his own crease, launched an astonishing long-bomb towards Golla standing uncovered at centre ice.
Golla grabbed the puck out of the air, dropped it to his feet and buried the ensuing breakaway.
This gave Jasper another five to two lead that they would nurse to the final buzzer, propelling our home team into Sunday鈥檚 A final.
If the St. Albert Blues were looking to roll over our small-town team to take home the big prize on Sunday, the Bearcats had something else in mind.
This game was tied at one, seven minutes in and after 20 minutes Jasper were clinging to a one-goal lead.
But three quick goals to start the second period, two from Golla and a top-cheddar wrister from Carlton, ended the game 38 minutes before the final buzzer sounded.
Those 38 minutes were filled with calm, exacting play that included power-play opportunities for Mac Carmichael and Kalan Sawchuk, a very sweet power-play goal by blueliner Jacob Bouchard and stifling defensive work by Dexter Fawcett.
The game ended nine to one in favour of the Bearcats who collected their first-place trophy before heading home, exhausted but happy.
Thanks to team manager, Ana Lea Berenguer for stellar organization, and to the many local sponsors and volunteers who generously contributed to the tournament鈥檚 success.
