Coming off a gold medal victory in the Tier II division of the Mainland Cup just weeks ago, Coastal Shredders AA spring hockey team maintained its intense weekend practice sessions and incorporated a new fitness training program in preparation for its second tournament of the short spring season, the Challenge Cup.
Held in the Lower Mainland, the tournament featured some of the most promising young talent from across Canada and the United States. Knowing how hard his team had prepared, head coach Greg Fox registered the Shredders as a Tier I AAA team to provide his players with the opportunity to compete at the highest level.
The tournament featured three round-robin games that dictated whether the Shredders would place themselves as a Pool A or Pool B team. Though their journey began on the right foot with an opening goal just 10 seconds into the game, a very imposing Vancouver Selects Blue team sank the Shredders by a score of 7-2.
The second Shredder game was very evenly played. BC Lightning struck quickly with three goals in the first 10 minutes, with only one response by the Shredders before the end of the first period. Lightning scored two more in the second period to take a commanding 5-1 lead into an intermission that in hindsight could be considered a pivotal turning point in the tournament. The Shredders seemed to become more settled and confident as a Tier I team. Though they lost the game against Lightning, they won the final period 3-2, and from this point overpowered their opponents throughout the remainder of the tournament.
The third and final round-robin game was against BC Blackhawks. Forward Caleb Parkhouse assisted on a Logan Nijhoff goal to open the scoring midway through the first period, and then scored a second late to take a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. Blackhawks then scored in the last minute of the second period to close the gap to 2-1. After the Blackhawks tied the game, defenceman Michael Behan assisted on a goal with just under five minutes remaining. A resilient Blackhawks squad fought back again to force overtime. In the final period, defenceman Matthew Ubriaco made a nifty pass from the corner boards to his teammate, who slid the puck under the sprawling goaltender to give the Shredders their first win in thrilling fashion.
Because an overtime victory was only worthy of two points in the Challenge Cup tournament, the Shredders were relegated to Pool B, and scheduled to play a semifinal game once again against BC Blackhawks. Both teams played a tight game from start to finish and the Shredders battled hard to score a goal in each period, including a Parkhouse assist on a Nijhoff goal late in the third to help lead the Shredders to a 3-1 victory and an opportunity to play for the gold medal in Pool B.
They played against the All Peace Capitals who had battled to an overtime win in their semifinal game. Shredders scored early in the first, and again early in the second to take a 2-0 lead. Parkhouse earned an assist on a backbreaking goal late in the second to give the Shredders a huge 3-0 lead. Behan assisted on a late goal to answer a Capitals goal and Coastal Shredders skated to a 4-1 victory and the gold medal for Pool B.
With only five defencemen dressed, Behan was required to play extra minutes, and played exceptionally well in the final and throughout the tournament. Goaltender Cameron Stevenson played an amazing game between the pipes, stopping numerous high quality opportunities, and was fully deserving of the win.
Fox was very pleased with how his players responded to the challenge of Tier I teams. “The boys played for each other and proved to themselves that they could compete at the highest level,” he said. “We as a coaching staff are very proud of these accomplishments.”
Once again it appears as though hard work does pay off.
