Championship Weekend!

While Allison was starting her dance competition season, Nathan was finishing up his hockey season. This weekend was the Big Bear Spring Showdown Hockey Tournament at Soutside Ice Arena in Grand Rapids. There were 6 teams in our bracket. Our tournament started out on a sour note Friday afternoon with a 4-1 loss to the Chicago Jets. Saturday morning, we played the Kalamazoo Flames and beat them 6-3. Then, Saturday night, we played another Chicago Jets team and beat them 7-2. Nathan played defense during the entire tournament. He's been doing a good job of getting back and forcing the other team wide to prevent easy shots and it's been working pretty well. Based on the first three games, the top four teams went into the semi-finals on Sunday morning. We were the number three seed and had to play another Hawk team in the semi's. That game was a nail-biter because the other Hawk team is pretty good. We beat them in the district play-down game at Walker but it was a close game. They play solid defense but our boys were working great together and we ended up winning 6-4 to head to the finals for a rematch against the Chicago Jets team we'd lost to on Friday afternoon. So we went home and called/emailed everyone in the family to let them know there was a championship game this afternoon.

The Championship Game: Nathan was a little giddy prior to the championship game because the team has been so close to making it to a tournament final and they were finally going to play in one. This weekend has been great to watch. For some reason, after Friday the boys finally have gotten the feel of how to play together as a team by playing positions, passing the puck and spreading the other team out. Everything sort of came together. Additionally, they've all been skating hard and back-checking to prevent the other team from getting easy scoring chances. They've learned passing the puck makes scoring goals a LOT easier and results in more scoring chances for our team.

In tournaments, they typically begin the championship game by lining up both teams on the blue lines, announcing all of the players, and playing the National Anthem. For some reason, they lined up the players, didn't announce them, and then realized they didn't have a national anthem to play. That's where the fans in the stands came to the rescue (man, I wish this one was on tape)... Someone began singing the national anthem and the entire crowd (which was pretty large and loud since this was a championship game) joined in. We sang through the entire anthem while the players stood at the blue lines. Too funny!

Once the puck dropped, the boys picked up right where they left off from this morning. Everyone was skating hard, doing their part and playing as a team. We jumped out to a 1-0 lead and held that until the middle of the third period. We scored another goal to go up 2-0 with about 4 minutes left. After a mix-up in our end, the Jets scored to make it 2-1. We were still doing a good job of stopping their rushes. They pulled their goalie and really put the pressure on and shot a game-tying goal past our goalie with 24 seconds left in the game to tie it 2-2. Talk about taking the wind out of our sails!

But... immediately after the face-off we went down in their end and put a shot off their goalie. Our center slammed the rebound off the goalie and in the net to go up 3-2 with about 10 seconds left. From there it was a matter of running out the clock. When the game was finally over, the ice became littered with gloves, sticks, helmets, etc. as the boys were celebrating a hard-fought title. They all jumped into a big pile and were screaming along with the crowd. It was great that they were able to end the season on such a high note. I know for Nathan it was extra special because he's been pretty bummed knowing the hockey season was about over and he wouldn't be playing with alot of these boys next season. Most of them are a year older and will be moving up to the Pee Wee age bracket.

After the celebration was over, they lined up each of the teams on the blue lines again. They announced all of the players from both teams to get their trophies and shake hands then they presented the team trophies. After all of the hoopla was over the entire team went out for dinner (and drinks for the parents). I'm completely worn out and I'd imagine the kids are feeling the same way after this weekend. But it couldn't have been scripted any better. Both of the kids did a great job at what they do.

Congratulations HAWK #1!!!
2009 Big Bear Spring Showdown Champions!!!
Nathan is in the front row just to the right of the goalie...

The celebration... I wish I had pictures of the crowd going crazy after that game-winning goal. It was pretty insane!

Congratulations for everyone. I must say the Chicago Jets team was very good. The parents and team were a class act and good sports.

Coach Jim took photos of each of the players and their family with the trophy before heading out for dinner...