The Vernon Tim Hortons Flames recorded four straight wins to claim the Kootenay Cup in the Nakusp Atom Tournament last weekend.
After decisive preliminary victories over Rossland (8-0), Grand Forks (9-2) and Kaslo (12-1), Vernon ambushed the Kelowna Predators 9-1 in the final.
Steel Quiring supplied 3+2 for the Flames, while Isaac Thomas scored twice and singles came from Jacob Bode, Jakob Jones, Jace Weir and Connor Elliott.
Wingers Jordyn Morris, Christopher Bond and Quinn Soon made clutch assists, demonstrating textbook positional and passing play.
Exceptional defending from Porter Trevelyan, Gage Stoll, and Ethan Harshenin made it almost impossible to score on Flames’ goalie Owen Swiscoski, who recorded a shutout against Rossland.
The weekend before, the Flames went 3-0 before falling 4-3 to host Penticton Black Knights in the final of another tournament.
Elliott, Boden and Quiring handled the Flames’ offence, while Swiscoski made numerous saves to keep Vernon in the hunt and earn game MVP.
Jones, Christopher Bond and Weir maintained furious pressure on Penticton, raining pucks only to be stopped by the posts. Valiant efforts came from Trevelyan, Soon, Peyton Storey and Morris.
Tim Hortons sponsors five Novice teams, coached by Jason Boden (Flames), Scott Finlayson (Dynamites), Marlon Schaper-Kotter (Killer Sharks), Shawn Bourgeois (Flyers) and Tim Milne (Black Widows).
