On December 6–8, the Niverville Clippers hosted their annual Peewee tournament, with 12 teams competing in three divisions. Three Clippers teams took part.
Teams came from Brandon, Springfield, Île-des-Chênes, Carman, Ste. Anne, and Winnipeg.
Division A consisted of three Winnipeg teams, plus the Clippers A, who won the silver medal, losing in the final to the St. Boniface Seals. In Division B, the Carman Cougars came out on top after playing an undefeated weekend. Division C was won by the Brandon Penguins.
“In total there were 21 games played throughout the weekend which showcased quality local talent,” says tournament coordinator Kevin Boone. “Clipper Ice Sports would like to thank all of our local businesses who supported our two tournaments this year. It would not be possible to host events like this without their support.”
The Clippers’ final home tournament will take place January 24–26, with the Novice teams taking to the ice. The Novice teams include players between the ages of seven and eight.
“We will have four local teams and 10 visiting teams ascend on our town for that weekend of fun,” says Boone. “We hope to see you at the rink cheering on our teams.”
Winnipeg Jets Challenge Cup
More recently, the Novice B team has been participating in the Winnipeg Jets Challenge Cup, which ran from December 21 until January 2 at the Bell MTS Ice Plex.
On December 22, the team came out strong in their first game, securing victory by a score of 12–8. Goalie Deklan Billey notched some impressive saves. The next game was even more dominant, with the Clippers jumping out to a 12–1 win, with Josh Ginter in the net.
The third game, on December 24, also resulted in victory. Ginter returned to the net, and the team soared to a final score of 18–3.
“This Novice B team have been strong performers this season,” says Ashley Chamberlain of Clipper Ice Sports. “During our games all players are engaged in the plays, and team play is our primary goal. The coaches can often be seen helping the players on the bench strategize their plays so that our players are learning to work as a team. This has been consistent through the season.”
The final game of the tournament took place December 31, and the Clippers once again roared to a big win, by a score of 17–4.
“Josh Ginter was again our goalie and he made his team proud,” says Chamberlain. “The team was very excited going into their last game of the year, and everyone performed at their best.”
The Player of the Game honour was awarded to Deklan Billey for his phenomenal defensive plays throughout the game.
