The Peninsula Eagles Midget A team will make local hockey history by hosting the 2020 B.C. Hockey T2 provincial championships this March; a first for the area and Peninsula Minor Hockey.
Jana Sexton, chair and team manager, hopes for redemption from last year’s loss by bringing home the championship banner for the first time to the Peninsula.
Last year the Eagles made provincials in Vernon, but failed to reach the podium.
It has been almost a year of planning since the team’s bid was accepted by BC Hockey and they are excited to play in their own rink, Sexton said.
This opportunity is significant for the team because they have reached the provincials only three times previously.
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Winning the provincials would mean the championship banner will hang in their home rink.
The host team for the provincial championships is offered to be automatically entered into the provincials, but the Eagles have decided as a team that they will earn their spot.
“The kids do not want to take the easy road,” Sexton said.
The team this year is led by head coach Kory Coward and assistant coaches Brian Cross and Justin Isaac, who were all a part of the team during their silver medal win at the 2004 provincial championship alongside Jamie Benn, NHL star and captain of the Dallas Stars.
Assistant coach Brian Coward coached the previous team during their 2004 win.
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Head coach Coward looks forward to being able to give back to the team.
“It is nice giving back to the community and the kids, you realize how much work the coaches in the past have put into this,” Coward said.
The provincial championships will take place March 15 to 19 at Panorama Recreation.
A player banquet hosted by the team will take place on March 15 at the Mary Winspear Centre. A live-stream of the games can be viewed on Hockey TV.
WATCH LIVE GAME HERE: https://www.hockeytv.com/schedule/elite
