This years annual hockey tournament went very well. This year we had only 4 teams total, but other teams expressed interest in the future. Millar College of the Bible, a team from a church in Osler, and the DZB Blazers (a team from Whitefox and area (close to Nipawin)) came out. NBC did well. We started off a little shaky, but by the time the first period was over, we were confident and scoring. We won our first game 4-2. Millar and Osler tied their first game 3-3, so we knew that competition would be tight for the rest of the tourney. Saturday morning rolled around bright and early, and with several guys on our team getting very little sleep, we still managed to pull out a 2-1 victory over Osler, a team we haven’t beaten before (that I know of, which goes back 7 years). We played very well as a team, and the only slip-up in that game was a defensive error from the player/coach (ie.me), who was not really a D-man, but learned really quick the importance of not fiddling with the puck at the blue-line again!
Millar dominated DZB, although the Blazers goalie pulled some amazing saves out of somewhere. After that game, the Blazers were a little bit tired, having only 2 lines, but they still scored quite a few on Osler, losing 9-5.
Then came the big game as far as our team, NBC, was concerned. Millar. The game started off very back and forth, very even, very fast. Finally we started scoring, and then things opened up. The game stayed close until the beginning/middle of the second period, when Millar was leading 4-3. We tied it up and then walked away. (Millar guys probably wouldn’t say ‘walked’ away, but hey! J) We won the game 7-4, scoring with 4 seconds left again. It was wonderful, sweet victory, as they beat us in the final last year 3-2. Then came playoffs. We beat the Blazers easily, the 1st vs. 4th matchup. Osler and Millar were close, but Millar won 4-2. Then the final. Millar got out to a fairly early 3-1 lead, but I begged my guys to keep playing hard, and it paid off. With 5 minutes left, we tied it up, 3-3. With that Millar picked it up a little, and the action got really intense. We got really scrambly in our zone, and failed to get the puck out several times. We finally did, but just barely out, and they rushed back in and got a shot away. Our goalie played awesome for the whole tourney, and of course, made the save. However, the rebound went to the side of the outstretched goaltender, who got a piece of the puck with his paddle, and the puck trickled over the line. It was one of those Matrix moments. You see the bullet coming, and you do that thing, and, well, yah. 1 minute left in the game, but we couldn’t get the puck in their net, even after pulling the goalie and getting a few chances. Losing a gut-wrenching game, 4-3, once again, to Millar.
I will say though, it was probably the most fun tournament I have ever played in. The competition was fierce, but anger was kept in check by our Lord Jesus who we constantly asked to help us play with good attitudes. Everyone I know of had a really enjoyable time playing and fellowshipping. God was definitely the key factor in making the tournament a success once again!
