Terrace Minor Hockey had a strong season this year, with all three boys rep teams heading to provincials over the next few weeks, as well as the regional female rep Midgets.
The Kermode Midgets and Bantams both won their zones championships, and the Peewees and female Northern Eagles Midgets both got a bye.
The Eagles are a regional team registered under BC Hockey with players from Terrace, Smithers, Prince George, Whitehorse, Prince Rupert, Kitimat, Hazelton and Fraser Lake.
Here’s a quick glance at each:
Midgets
The Kermode Midgets won zones Feb. 16-18 here in Terrace, beating Kitimat in the finals with a late tiebreaker in the final minutes of the game to claim a 3-2 victory.
Kitimat, Smithers and Terrace have been close all season, and the zone championship winner was a toss-up going in.
Terrace lost to Kitimat 4-2 in the round robin and took a rare 8-1 win over Smithers. That put them in the finals with Kitimat, and the teams were tied most of the match, at 2-2 by late in the third.
In the dying two minutes, the Terrace boys got a power play and went on an offensive onslaught.
Quinn Mulder got the puck behind the net and fired it to A.J. Desousa in the slot, who quickly buried the game-winner to make it 3-2.
Coaches Josh Murray and Rob Bell said the boys played well, with the veteran players playing an especially strong role.
“Carson Olson had an outstanding game on defence,” said Bell, noting that forwards Quinn Mulder and Bryton Gaudet also stood out.
The season had its ups and downs, and the boys had fun but didn’t make finals in the major tournaments in Salmon Arm, Quesnel, and Prince George.
Bell says that’s partly due to the young team, with only one third-year player, and it’s partly due to injuries, including a broken collarbone and broken hand.
Provincials are in West Vancouver March 18-21.
Bantams
The Kermode Bantams seized their zone banner last weekend in Smithers, beating Tri-City 7-0 and losing to Smithers 2-3 in the round robin.
Re-matched with Smithers in the finals, the boys managed to triumph 2-0 — the second shut-out of the tournament by goalie Connor Hutchinson.
The boys buried one in the first shift of the game, a rebound by Ben Franko, and Logan Kluss scored off a pass from Keaten Hartness in the second period for the 2-0 win.
Terrace and Smithers have been rivals all season, each overcoming against the other twice in regular season play.
“It was a good game, it could have gone either way,” said coach Lawrence Stella of the zone final.
Also in the season, the team got fifth in a Prince George tier-two tournament early in the season, got fourth in a tier-two tourney in Quesnel, and won a tier three in Kamloops.
Stella said he’s pleased with the progress of the team and they’re looking forward to provincials, with about half of the kids going for the first time.
Provincials for the Bantams are in Nelson on March 18-22.
Peewees
The Kermode Peewees got a bye to provincials this year when the Smithers team folded their zone final.
Looking at their tournaments, the boys won in Smithers, and played two tier two tourneys, losing in Kamloops and winning in Prince George. After the new year, they took fourth at a Quesnel tourney and second in a tier-three in Prince George.
Coach Lenny Davis says it’s been a good season, up and down, but the team has developed in their skating and passing.
“We’re excited to go to provincials,” he said, adding that only four of the 17 players have gone before.
“It’s not something you get to go to every year, so it will be fun.”
Provincials are in Summerland March 18-22.
Female Midgets
The Northern Eagles female rep team got a bye to provincials this year, with a roster that collectively represents the northwest.
READ MORE: Female rep hockey building in the north
The team got second place in a Fort St. John tournament early this season, got seventh of eight in a Kamloops tournament, and played in Airdrie, Alberta where they lost but kept all the games close.
Coach Darcy Allison said it’s been tough for the team to develop without having any practices, but the girls will see what comes with provincials.
The Midget ‘A’ Girls Provincials are in Williams Lake March 21-25.
