BROOKLYN, N.S. — 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,” he added.
The Avalanche advanced to the tournament championship game after a pair of wins Feb. 23. The first came against Lockview as 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. They scored 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 semi-finals with a 10-0 whitewashing of West Kings and then advanced to the championship game with a 3-2 nail-biter over Halifax West.
In Avon View’s semi-final game with Auburn, the Avalanche hung onto 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 participate in their NSSAF District Level 1 play down on March 2 at the Hants Exhibition Arena.
The Avalanche girls are the top seeded-team and will play the winner of the Parkview-Horton game for the Western Zone Championship.
The Avon View boys will 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.
