In advance of the start of league play, the Courtenay Mazda PeeWee Chiefs have had a busy and successful past two weeks.
The team travelled to Abbotsford on Thanksgiving Weekend to participate in the Icebreaker Tournament. The Chiefs had some "slow feet" to start their first game against host Abbotsford, and while they recovered in the second half of the game, they ended up on the wrong side of a 3-1 score.
The Chiefs responded well on Sunday, with a dominating 8-0 win over Aldergrove early in the morning followed by a solid 6-3 win over Coquitlam in the afternoon. A strong forecheck created numerous turnovers which the Chiefs were able to convert. All three lines contributed to the scoring and solid defensive zone coverage and goaltending were keys to success.
A 2-1 record put the Chiefs into a semifinal game against undefeated North Delta on Monday morning. The Chiefs opened the scoring in a hard-fought battle against a strong North Delta squad and held a 3-2 lead late in the game.
North Delta tied the game and the Chiefs had some bad puck-luck in the frantic last few minutes and through overtime, hitting a few posts but not managing to put home the winning goal.
A shoot-out came next, and though goalie Mattias Smith was heroic in stopping four of five shooters, the Chiefs were not able to beat the North Delta goaltender, resulting in an earlier-than-hoped for ferry ride back home. The coaching staff was pleased with the weekend, however, with the team making great strides in both individual and team play.
This past weekend the Chiefs hosted two exhibition games and came away with a well-played 9-2 victory against an over-matched Cowichan Valley B squad and a 5-2 loss to Campbell River.
The Chiefs held an early lead over the Tyees, but lost their aggressive forecheck in the middle frame which allowed the strong Campbell River team to come back to take the lead. Despite a flurry of good scoring chances in the third, the Chiefs were unable to overcome the deficit.
League play starts this Saturday, with an afternoon game at 2:30 at Sports Centre Arena #1. Come out and cheer on the kids as they get their season officially underway.
– Courtenay Mazda PeeWee Chiefs