Strong play on both ends of the ice helped the Virden fourth roster team earn the silver medals at the U13 Rural A1 hockey provincials.
The squad did not allow a goal in its first two contests in St. Adolphe. For the tournament, the Virden team scored 36 goals over four games. The Oil Capitals fell 4-2 to Brandon in the finals.
“We had a very successful tournament,” head coach Kent Plaisier said. “We have a very strong defence. The kids had a great positive attitude during tournament. Considering we have only played few games together, I was surprised how well the kids played as a team. The kids are very similar in skill so not one kid got all the goals. We had many different kids scoring and contributing to the team.”
The Oil Capitals started the tournament by beating Rivers, 17-0, and outshooting them 85-3, Plaisier noted. In the next game, the Virden team outshot St. Adolphe, 41-20, and won 9-0. In the semifinals, the Oil Capitals once again outshot their opponents – 61-14 – and beat Dauphin, 8-5. In a close contest, the Virden team “pulled away at the end of the game,” Plaisier said.
“In the finals, the kids had a very strong start,” the coach said. “We were up 2-0 with a couple minutes left in the second period. They scored with six minutes left and got an empty net goal.”
The Virden team included Mason Hay, Bentley Pio, Dexter White, Hadley Robertson, Georgia Koop, Slade Hagan, Bentley Goulden, Cardyn Hayward, Swade Penner, Slade Pricem Landon Plaisier, Eric Rampton, Cody Cameron and affiliated player Dawson Densmore. The assistant coaches were Brett Cameron and Robin Rampton.
