As Powell River prepared for Remembrance Day ceremonies, family and players of Powell River Kings Bantam Rep hockey team prepared for the Cowichan Remembrance Day tier two hockey tournament.
This is an annual tournament and three years ago Powell River’s PeeWee Reps won after beating all participating teams. History was set to repeat itself.
Eight teams participated, with Powell River travelling the farthest. Within 60 minutes of arrival at Fuller Lake Arena, just outside Chemainus, Powell River was on the ice facing Oceanside.
Perhaps it was the two-hour drive down the Island Highway, or the ferry food that did it, but the players came out fighting and eager to work together to win their first game. They shut out Oceanside with a commanding 5-0 result.
For spectators, the game was a joy to watch. Powell River has had a few teething problems so far in regular minor hockey league play, but their opening game in the tournament showed they could gel together, pass smoothly and fire with accuracy. Coach Verne Kinley, and assistant coaches Greg Piccinin and Rick McLaren, watched as their persistence looked to be making a difference.
“We weren’t doing very well prior to the tournament,” said Kinley. “After we played the five games at the tournament we turned a corner and for whatever reason are now playing better. I think we definitely have come together as a unit.”
An early Sunday game meant alarms were sounding at 5 am. Powell River was wide awake on the ice, however, making the Juan de Fuca side no match for the Kings who again posted a commanding shutout.
The Remembrance Day ceremony in Chemainus was very similar but smaller than Powell River’s, and in the arena all play came to a halt at 11 am for the two minutes of silence.
Late afternoon, the Kings met Nanaimo for a 9-4 win, finishing the round robin qualifiers top of pool B.
On the final day of the tournament there were potentially two more games left for the Kings. They played the second-place pool A team, and tournament hosts, Cowichan in a battle for the final. Once again, Powell River worked hard together, working their lines and winning 4-1.
Families rearranged schedules and prepared for an extra night on Vancouver Island as the final would be played at 4 pm. A thrilling game between pool A’s unbeaten Kerry Park and Oceanside ended in a surprising win for Oceanside, meaning the two teams that started the tournament together would also end it in a fight for first and second place.
Powell River played tired, and luckily so did Oceanside. It was obvious the Kings were the better team, but at 2-2 after the third period, the final was decided on a sudden death overtime goal. Powell River won 3-2.
Just like three years before, the Powell River team beat all of the competition and walked away winners.
“We did play better as a group and it does help to get some wins under your belt,” said Kinley. “To play the game and know you can win if you put the effort in, helps with confidence. Hopefully we can keep improving and remain competitive.”
