David Miller | Special to the 51暗网
The Jasper Atom Bears had an away tournament in Edson this past weekend and were looking to come home with some hardware and keep their Tier 4 undefeated streak intact.
First up for the Bears were the Peace River Outlaws who were riding four games undefeated of their own.
It took the Outlaws a mere 20 seconds to get their first scoring chance only to have it spoiled from an amazing defensive play by Carter 鈥淭oe Drag鈥� Derksen who managed to sweep the puck away as it was about the cross the goal line.
After escaping that early scare, Jasper started to flex its muscles and take over the game.
At the 8:40 mark of the first, Max Lescard fed a beauty pass to Myles Misskey who found the back of the net for one of the nicest goals of the tournament.
One fan was heard saying, 鈥淗oly, this Jasper team can sure pass the puck, they look like the Russian Red Army out there.鈥�
After the first the Bears were up 6 to 0.
Peace River, not to be outdone, started to pick up the pace and managed to score five goals of their own in the second.
But, unfortunately, so did Jasper and after two periods it was 11 to 5 for Jasper.
The third period was back and forth and at the end of 60 minutes the Bears ended up getting two touchdowns and doubled up the Outlaws 14 to 7.
The second game of the tourney was that same evening against their arch rival the Edson Sabres.
This game counted as a league game as well for the Bears and they knew if they won this game they would punch their ticket to the A final the next day.
The Bears came out gunning and less the minute in Greyden Henderson found the back of the net with an amazing wrist shot that found the top corner.
Jaifred Mota also scored a beautiful goal from the slot and after one period the Bears were up 5 to 0.
The Sabres were looking for answers in the second and they found some.
I guess all the yelling coming from the Edson coaches really worked as they managed to get three goals past the Jasper keepers and we had ourselves a hockey game.
When the third period hit, Jasper had the lead but they were looking to add to it and that鈥檚 when Dustin Derksen gave us his best Connor McDavid impression.
Dustin McDavid not only ended the game with six goals but he had one of the best passes of the year when he found his cousin Carson Miller on a two-on-one.
The game ended 11 to 7 in Jaspers favour and not only did they keep their undefeated streak alive they also punched their ticket to the A final.
The A final was played on Sunday at 12:45 p.m. versus the team from High Prairie.
Jasper was lucky for the late start as the majority of the team was up past midnight playing stick hockey in our hotel.
William 鈥淐ool as a Cucumber鈥� Routledge was heard saying the next day, 鈥淢y mom was sure happy last night, she let me have candy at midnight.鈥�
When the puck dropped for the A final, Jasper came out flat and for the first time in the tournament Jasper was trailing after the first period. It was 3 to 2 High Prairie.
During the first intermission the Jasper coaches knew something had to change so they juggled the lines up to try to create some more offence.
I say it worked as the Bears scored seven goals in the second, including a hardworking goal from our little bowling ball Luka Kahlina and it didn鈥檛 stop there.
Jasper ended up scoring three more in the third including a breakaway goal from Ethan Gibbons who ended the game with five goals.
Carter 鈥淕love Hand鈥� Schmidt and 鈥淏ig Willy鈥� also stepped up in the second and third shouting out High Prairie and the Bears ending up winning the A final 12 to 3.
Jasper has the next weekend off and then they are back on the ice the following weekend with a couple of home dates with Fort Saskatchewan, where they will look to keep their undefeated streak alive.
Go Bears!
