The first weekend in January, the Creston Valley Minor Hockey Association’s bantam rep Chiefs hosted a tournament. Five teams travelled to the Creston Valley, including High River, Elk Valley, Invermere, Spokane and Lethbridge. The boys started the play Friday afternoon with a tough loss, giving a shutout to Invermere. Matthew Armitage was starting goaltender and didn’t disappoint, allowing only one goal.
On the Friday evening, the boys battled hard but came up short with a final score of 7-5 against High River. Cole Bright was starting goaltender. Creston buried three goals in the first, by Ethan Plotnikoff assisted by Brody Ryan, Jake Kolodychuk assisted by Plotnikoff and Tyler Everitt, and Jake Livingstone assisted by Hunter Smeaton. Two second-period goals were scored, the first by Ryan assisted by Plotnikoff, and Plotnikoff, with his fourth point of the game, assisted by Kolodychuk.
On Jan. 5, the team faced Spokane and found a win and a shutout for starting goaltender Bright with a final score of 6-0. Four goals for Creston were scored by Plotnikoff with assists by Everitt, Livingstone, Kolodychuk, Ryan and Alex Blackmore. Creston’s two other goals were scored by Kenton Blackmore assisted by Ryan and Plotnikoff, and Jordon Wood, unassisted.
That afternoon, the team was back at it against Lethbridge, which put two on the board in the first period, but Creston answered in the second, scoring two. The first goal was by Kolodychuk assisted by Livingstone and starting goaltender Armitage. Six minutes later, Livingstone sniped, with assists going to Vinson Blackmore and Ryan. In a tense third period, despite Lethbridge’s best efforts, only one goal was scored and it was the game winner for Creston, by Alex assisted by Wood.
On Jan. 6, Creston played an early game against one of the tournament’s top team, Elk Valley, and won with a final of 3-2. Creston’s first goal was scored by Plotnikoff, assisted by Livingstone and Kolodychuk. Less than a minute later, Livingstone scored another, assisted by Plotnikoff and Everitt. With two minutes remaining in this exciting game, Livingstone scored his second goal and the game-winner with an assist from Plotnikoff. Armitage was the starting goaltender.
Elk Valley took first place in the tournament, with Invermere placing second. Third went to Lethbridge followed by the Creston Chiefs in fourth. High River followed in fifth, leaving Spokane in last place.
•On Jan. 18, the bantam rep team travelled to Princeton to compete in the Princeton and District Minor Hockey Association 2013 bantam Tier 3 Tournament.
On Friday evening, the boys faced Mission in their first of four games of the weekend. Matthew Armitage was starting goaltender. After a scoreless first period, Creston put three on the board in the second. The first was scored unassisted by Hunter Smeaton. Alex Blackmore was next up, assisted by Kenton Blackmore, followed by another unassisted goal by Brody Ryan. In the third period, Mission scored with 13 minutes on the clock. Ethan Plotnikoff answered with a fourth goal for Creston minutes later, assisted by Jordan Wood. A final score of 4-1 gave the boys a great start.
On Saturday afternoon, Creston battled West Vancouver and lost 5-4. Goals for Creston were scored by Plotnikoff, assisted by Ryan and Tyler Everitt, and a hat trick by Jacob Kolodychuk, with assists to Ryan and Plotnikoff. Goaltending was shared by Armitage and Cole Bright.
Later on Saturday, the boys faced another loss against the strong South Okanagan team, with a final score of 8-1. Creston’s only goal was scored by Kenton Blackmore assisted by Everitt. Goaltending was shared by Armitage and Bright.
On Sunday morning, the boys showed up to play, ending the tournament with a well deserved win against Aldergrove. Ryan scored a hat trick with an unassisted goal in the first period, and a goal each in the second and third, both assisted by Plotnikoff. Kolodychuk buried four goals, assisted by Alex Blackmore, Levi Palmer, Kenton Blackmore, Jake Livingstone and Smeaton. Plotnikoff also scored assisted by Armitage, as did Levi Palmer assisted by Kolodychuck. With two minutes remaining, Aldergrove scored their first and only of the game, giving a final score of 9-1. Goaltending was shared by Armitage and Bright.
—CRESTON VALLEY MINOR HOCKEY ASSOCIATION