2011 Inline Hockey Junior Olympics
July 07, 2011
U14
Coming off a Silver Medal finish in the International Tournament, Team Alberta U14 squad is anxious to begin the next tournament. The players are looking forward to the 5:15 pm start against Revision Vanquish ‘97. Our boys came out strong, scoring 8 goals in the first period. At that point it looked like the mercy rule would be enforced but then Vanquish answered back. Neither team was able to score in the second period setting the final score at 8-2 for Alberta. Good start to the Club Tournament.
The second game of the day is against Team Mission at 9:45 pm. For the second game in a row Team Alberta controlled it from the get go, basically scoring at will, until they reached the limit and the mercy rule was invoked. Team Alberta won the game with a score of 8-0 – A great start!! to the tournament with a 2-0 record.
U16
Team Alberta was scheduled to play Team USA West at 12:00 noon. Hopes were high to continue the inspired play displayed in their big win yesterday. To do this they would need a strong game from their goal tender, Tyson Underhill, and they got it. The game was action packed with play going end to end at an astounding pace. It was obvious from the beginning of the game, it would come down to 1 goal separating the teams. In the last minute of play Alberta was down 2-1. Then Team USA West got a power play. They took control of the puck in their end and Alberta never got another chance. The final game more or less summed up the tournament for the U16’s – no lucky bounces.
Team Alberta lost 2-1 and the Junior Olympics was now over for this team.
U18
Today’s semi-final game is at 6:45 pm against USA Northwest. The players are a little nervous, not knowing what to expect from this team as it is the only Team USA that Alberta did not see in round robin action. Team Alberta did what they do best and took the game to them with great puck control. Both teams were focused on playing strong hockey and stayed away from the penalty box. Team Alberta was down 3-2 with 5 minutes to go in the game. Just as he had done so many time before, Shaun Comrie scored the tying goal to set up OT. Both teams played cautiously in this period, trying not to give up the puck. Fortunately at end of his shift as Mikolas Mykatyshyn was leaving the surface, the defense for Team USA Northwest coughed up the puck. Mikolas was on a breakaway! He faked right and went upstairs glove hand on the goalie. Team Alberta U18 was in the finals!
Start time is 9;45 pm against a familiar foe, Team USA Stripes. This game followed the pattern established in the earlier game with the game being a very serious defensive battle with puck control and low scoring being the order of the day. It could be said that both goalies played their best game of the tournament. Near the end of the second period Team Alberta broke the 2-2 deadlock, when Cole Walker shot the puck over the goalie’s blocker side. 2 minutes to go in the game and Team USA applied the pressure. They did have their chances but could not put the puck past Connor Dobberthien, the Alberta tender. As the seconds ticked off the clock, the players and the crowd broke into cheers.
A celebration, for this was first GOLD MEDAL for the Team Alberta’s of the Junior Olympics.
