Islanders win minor hockey championship

Grand Manan minor hockey players made history on the weekend of March 25-27, when the Islanders won the provincial under-18 C division championship in Quispamsis, and head coach Aaron Leslie couldn't be more proud. It was the first time an island team won a game at the provincials, and Leslie likens the experience to that age group's Stanley Cup, playing against "the best of the best - it's the highest you can go."
Most members of this team have been playing together for about 10 years. They hadn't lost a game in almost two years. The usual age range is 15-18, but the Islanders have three 14-year-olds and one 13-year old to make a full team. The 16 boys and three girls overcame many obstacles. Although the team has been at the top of their division for three years -- "kind of a rarity in the world of minor hockey," according to Leslie -- the pandemic quashed their championship dreams in both 2020 and 2021, as play-offs and provincials were cancelled.
All the pandemic-related interruptions and restrictions, like social distancing and solo drills, "were horrible on my players," Leslie says. This came on top of Grand Manan's normal logistical challenges of ferry travel and occasional volunteer shortages, which can cause cancellations. Then last month a COVID spike in the league created more problems, and in the end Leslie says they played "half a season in two weekends."
The top four teams in each of New Brunswick's five divisions went to the play-offs on March 12-13. The Islanders beat the KV Canadiens 4-1 and the KV Red Wings 6-2 and earned a spot representing the southern zone at the provincials, which bring together New Brunswick's top eight teams.
On March 25 the team won their first game against the York West Hawks 4-2, the Hawks' first loss of the season. In game 2 the next day they came back from a 4-3 deficit to win 6-4 against the Dieppe Memramcook Aigles, and in game 3 they beat the Tracadie Aigles 9-2. Then on March 27 they beat Restigouche 4-0 and progressed to the final against York West. The Islanders were "over the moon excited," Leslie says, and arrived up to two hours early to watch the other teams play. "They are extremely competitive."
The Hawks scored first; Grand Manan tied and went up 2-1 in the second period. Late in the third, the Hawks tied the game, and it went into sudden-death overtime. The Islanders killed a penalty from the third period; then the Hawks took their own penalty, and Grand Manan put their power-play group out. Leslie enthusiastically describes the final moments: a series of passes from Chase Urquhart to Jack Gartside to Kenzie Cameron. Cameron chipped it to Dakota Green at the blue line, and with Robert Wilson screening the net, Green "skates to the top of the face-off circle and pumps one high-glove on the goalie." The Islanders erupted onto the ice and landed in a big pile. In "a great show of sportsmanship," Leslie says three of them went to pick up and console the Hawks' goalie, who was lying on the ice.
Offence and defence players of the game were Dakota Green and Olivia Ingalls.
Leslie says the coaches held their composure until the final goal, then all were very emotional. The championship "meant so much to the team and the island. They couldn't have written a better story for themselves." Ten of the players will "age out" after this year.
"Grand Manan is an exceptional community to play a sport in," Leslie says. Fundraising efforts are always well supported. The island "always has the best showing of fans" for all its hockey teams. This was apparent on the championship weekend. For the first game, Leslie estimates perhaps 30-40 supporters attended. The tournament was live-streamed with commentary, and the resulting buzz on social media drew increasing numbers, including people who don't usually watch hockey. Leslie describes seeing the audience grow through the five games until Grand Manan fans filled "close to a whole side of the arena" with cowbells, clappers and noisemakers. "People [had] said, 'I think the team is gonna go on a run; we'd better go up and watch.'"
Leslie has a collection of gifts and thank you notes from players. His coaching strategy involves a lot of mental preparation. He points out "teens are emotional." He tries to teach them that ups and downs are part of life, and they have to learn to deal with frustration and fight for things they want. "The game isn't always physical." One player's father videos all the games, so the team can study their play, and the teammates choose a best player of each game. "When you put all this stuff together, it's as close to being a pro hockey player as they can get," Leslie says.
He gives much credit to his assistant coaches, three of whom he coached through their 12 year minor hockey careers: "They're just young enough to remember this is going to end, and old enough to understand the game." Japeth Parker is a "master strategist" who sharpens skates and looks after all their gear. Matthew Jones "has good energy and is a great motivator." Conner Huckins is also "a master" at analyzing opponents' tactics. Garth and Gina Urquhart have been with the team since its beginning, when they picked little ones up off the ice. Leslie points out that in minor hockey "the coach usually deals with everything," but as manager, Gina handles the organizing, scheduling, travel arrangements and dealing with parents, taking the pressure off so he can just coach. "I have the most amazing staff," he says. "If not for them, this team wouldn't have gotten as far as it did."
After all their hard work, Leslie says the tournament was "a coming of age" for some of the players. Referring to the differences in age and skills among the team, he sums up: "We may not have it all together, but together we won it all."