Prince George-based players helped the male version of Team B.C. skate to gold at the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships, which wrapped up last weekend in Mississauga, Ont.
In Saturday's final game, B.C. defeated North 3-0 and, in the process, finished the eight-team tournament with a 6-0 record. The local content on Team B.C. included Jeremy Gervais of the Cariboo Cougars, Brevin Gervais and Tyson Ghostkeeper, as well as Cariboo members Joel Patsey (Hazelton), Chase DuBois and Daine DuBois (Williams Lake).
B.C.'s head coach was Joe Quewezance of Westbank.
"Right from our goaltender out, (the players) were good everywhere," Quewezance said. "I believe this is the best team we've put together in the six years I've been a part of it. That's not to down our other teams but, overall, we had a little bit of everything."
Quewezance said the P.G. and Cariboo members of the squad played huge roles in the march to gold.
"A lot of it was from their experience last year (when B.C. won bronze)," he said. "This was Tyson's first year and Brevin's first year but the others, they had that experience from last year and really, truly understood what the championships are about and the competitive level."
In the playoff semifinals, B.C. downed Manitoba 3-2 in overtime. That game was a true test of the team's character.
"It was back and forth, and up until that point (in the tournament) we had played very well and were able to possess the puck and move it around and put the puck in the net," Quewezance said. "And then that game came around and Manitoba challenged us in ways I expected them to."
In the game, B.C. was up 2-0 late in the first period thanks to a pair of power-play goals but Manitoba responded with a goal before the opening frame was done. Manitoba eventually tied the score and overtime was required. B.C. got the winner - set up by Chase DuBois - about two minutes into the extra session.
B.C. opened the playoff round with 6-2 quarterfinal win against Saskatchewan.
In round-robin play, B.C. dumped Atlantic 9-1, edged Alberta 2-1 and defeated North 6-2.
Players in the tournament ranged from final-year bantam to final-year midget.
On the girls side of the event, B.C. played in the bronze-medal game but lost 2-1 in overtime to Manitoba. Prince George was also well-represented on the girls provincial team, as club members included head coach Randy Potskin, Kamryn Scully, Jordan McMillan, Malena Pillipow and Northern Capitals goaltender Tamara William (Williams Lake).
"I think our goal was to get to the medal round," Potskin said. "We have a young team. I got involved last year with the girls program and we kind of changed things up and went really young so every girl that we took this year and last year could come back next year. We're trying to build because B.C. is hosting next year, in Penticton."
To land in the game for bronze, B.C. fell 2-0 to Saskatchewan in the semifinal round.
The tournament highlight for B.C. was a 5-3 playoff quarterfinal victory against Alberta.
"That was a huge upset because Alberta is usually a strong province because of all the aboriginals in that area," Potskin said. "It was our first big win (against Alberta) in about eight years."
In the round-robin portion of the event, B.C. fell 1-0 to Ontario, 3-0 to Manitoba and beat North 5-2.
