‘We left everything on the ice’
Avon View girls’ hockey team takes silver at Brooklyn invitational tournament
The Avon View Avalanche’s girls’ hockey team gave it their best shot when they advanced to the championship final of their own invitational hockey tournament Feb. 23.
The tournament was held in Brooklyn Feb. 22- 23 and featured six teams — Sir John A. MacDonald, Auburn, Halifax West, Lockview, West Kings and Avon View.
The final was between the Avalanche and the Sir John A. MacDonald Flames — a team that previously beat them in the tournament.
“We left everything on the ice in the 4-1 championship game loss,” said Avalanche head coach Rob Davies.
“Our confidence heading into the Division 1 provincials… is considerably higher than when we began the tournament.”
The Avalanche advanced to the tournament championship game after a pair of wins Feb. 23. The first came against Lockview, and the Avalanche outscored them 5-2 in the quarter-final game.
It was 1- 1 after the first period before the Avalanche offence went into gear, scoring three times in the second period and once more in the third. Yumi Miyano, Hannah Rafuse, Makayla Kelvey, Zoey Rafuse and Savannah Hart were the five goal scorers for the Avalanche.
The Sir John A. MacDonald Flames advanced to the semifinals with a 10- 0 whitewashing of West Kings, then advanced to the championship game with a 3- 2 nail- biter over Halifax West.
In Avon View’s semifinal game with Auburn, the Avalanche hung on for a 2-1 victory.
Avon View went up 2- 0 in the second period on a goal by Rafuse, with Hartt and Amy Lloy assisting.
Auburn scored with 1:49 left in the second period and there was no scoring in the third period.
In previous tournament play on Feb. 22, the Avalanche were thumped 9- 1 by the Flames (with Rafuse being the lone AV girl to score) before doubling Auburn 4- 2. Scoring in that bout were Maddie Singer, with two, Macie Johnston and Brittany Poole.
Upcoming games
The Avalanche girls’ and boys’ hockey teams were set to participate in the NSSAF District Level 1 play down on March 2 at the Hants Exhibition Arena.
The Avalanche girls were the top seeded-team and were set to play the winner of the ParkviewHorton game for the Western Zone championship.
The Avon View boys were scheduled to play Parkview, with the winner of the game advancing to play Horton for the Western Zone Division I Hockey Championship title and a berth in the NSSAF Provincial Championship Tournament in Bedford, which is being hosted by CP Allen March 23-25.