麻豆社区

Coach Martin Lawrie wasn't sure what to expect from his young Bantam A Mustangs team at their first out-of-town tournament in Revelstoke, B.C. last weekend.

What he saw was good.

The Mustangs won gold at the Revelstoke Bantam Tier 3/4 Tournament, completing an unbeaten weekend with a 9-2 win over the Merritt Centennials in Sunday's championship game.

First-line right-winger Gavin Lawrie scored a hat trick and added three assists in the final.

Second-line centre Ethan Lavallee score twice, while Kaine Comin, Cruz Goodman, Ryan Troke and Joe Stokes rounded out the scoring.

Captain Mathew Cooper chipped in three assists from the blueline.

"I just wanted to see the boys compete,鈥� Lawrie admitted in an interview with the Star yesterday.

"We're a very, very young team and bantam is a tough age for first-year players.

My goal was to head down there and keep the kids safe鈥� and hope they compete.

"I was really happy. Results aside, I was just really impressed with the compete level from top to bottom.鈥�

Lawrie said the fine opening tournament will raise expectations for the rest of the season.

"I think we have the makings of a strong hockey team and I think we're further along than I've anticipated,鈥� he said.

"That's definitely encouraging. We do have a long way to go. We are young and very inexperienced at the bantam level.鈥�

The Mustangs started their tournament in style Friday afternoon, shellacking the host Revelstoke Jr. Grizzlies by a score of 10-0.

"That game was pretty decisive from the beginning,鈥� said Lawrie. "That was a pretty dominant performance.鈥�

Comin, the club's top line centre, had a goal and four assists in the match, while left-winger Stokes sniped a hat trick alongside one assist to lead the club's offence.

Dylan Cozens, Johnny Elias, Goodman, Troke and Cooper (2) rounded out the scoring for Whitehorse.

Goalies Tynan Hope and Ethan Vanderkley combined for the shutout between the pipes.

Game two was closer, but the Mustangs would again prevail, topping the Vernon Vipers 5-3 Friday night. Whitehorse battled back from an early 2-0 deficit to win the contest.

Cozens (2), Comin (2) and Elias provided the scoring while Hope played the entire game in net.

The Mustangs would finish the round-robin 3-0 after topping the Langley Eagles 8-1 Saturday afternoon.

Lavallee led the way in that one, tallying five goals. His left-winger Bryce Anderson had a goal and two assists, while Comin and Stokes added singles.

Vanderkley got the start in net, allowing only a single goal.

In the playoff crossover game Sunday, the Mustangs defeated the Salmon Arm Silvertips 5-3.

The young second line of Lavallee, Cozens and Anderson led the way in this one with Lavallee and Cozens sniping a pair apiece, while Anderson chipped in three assists.

The line featured two underage players 鈥� 12-year-olds Cozens and Anderson.

The duo led the Peewee A Mustangs to gold in Richmond earlier this month, with Cozens scoring 21 goals in five games.

"Both kids are phenomenal players,鈥� Lawrie said. "They're both very, very different hockey players. Dylan, physically, he brings everything to the ice. He's big, he's strong, and he can shoot. Bryce has a huge hockey IQ. The kid sees the game so well, and understands it so well.

"They're both elite hockey players. They've been around for a bit, but they're starting to get more recognition now as they get older.鈥�

Lawrie praised the play of Cooper, who logged the lion's share of minutes on the Mustangs blueline.

"He's our only second-year defenceman and he logged a ton of minutes,鈥� the coach said. "He was an absolute horse for us out there and a great leader.鈥�

Defenceman Kailem Letto and second-year centre Riley Smoler did not make the trip due to injuries.