The endurance test that’s otherwise known as the Esso Cup is a daunting challenge for even the young and fit athletes participating in the six-team national U18 AAA girls’ hockey championship this week in Lloydminster.
In the five days preceding Friday’s semifinals, it’s a game a day for each team. For those clubs fortunate enough to reach Saturday’s medal games, it amounts to seven consecutive days of hockey.
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Hockey teams are used to life on the road, but a national championship takes it to another level in stature, obviously, but also logistically. Hotels, food on the run and unfamiliar surroundings are all part of what makes the
challenge that much greater.
The road to the Esso Cup is a long journey even for the host team, which all season has billeted most of its players in the Lloydminster area. That has enabled the girls to spend less time on highways and more hours in the classroom, or around the rink for training, practices and games.
When she went up against the Edmonton Junior Oilers on Monday night, Lloydminster PWM Steelers goaltender Harlee Houle faced many familiar faces from her earlier minor hockey days. Houle is from Spruce Grove, so she knows several Oilers well. Her scouting report proved advantageous as she made 36 saves to earn the Steelers’ player-of-the-game honours in Lloyd’s 2-1 loss to Edmonton, the Pacific region champion and the early front-runner at the Esso Cup.
“It definitely puts some fire in me,” Houle said about going head-to-head against the Oilers. “It makes me want to do better.
“All season, we’ve been trying to catch up to them, and I think we’re finally here.”
In a physical battle, the Steelers ran into penalty trouble in the second period and a stout Edmonton defence that limited Lloyd’s scoring opportunities.
Both of the Oilers’ goals came on power plays, including the winner just 20 seconds into the third period. Houle otherwise shut the door, relishing her first taste of Esso Cup action.
With the hometown Steelers playing night games during round-robin play at the Centennial Civic Centre, Houle and company have spent most of their daytime hours in a restful mode. On Monday, she watched a morning game, went for an afternoon walk at Bud Miller Park, then regrouped at home before heading back to the rink to play.
Last year, Houle played as an underager with Leduc’s U18 AA team. She described the move to Lloyd as a life experience, especially the billeting
component.
“I love it,” said Houle, 16. “I think it’s a great experience. It’s definitely tested my maturity. I love the family I’ve been placed with. I wouldn’t change it.”
Keira Grant scored the winning goal as Edmonton posted its second victory in as many nights to become the only unbeaten team after two days of action. The Oilers and Steelers each had a strong contingent of fans. On and off the ice, the atmosphere mirrored a playoff-round game.
“It definitely puts fuel in me,” Houle said. “I don’t take it as pressure. I just use it to play harder and work harder and push myself.”
The Oilers have become accustomed to a healthy rivalry with the Steelers.
“They’re definitely a tough team to play, so we look forward every time we get to play them, because they push us to get better, which we all really like,” said Grant, the winning goal-scorer. “We realized that this is an important game and we can’t give them any room. We just have to bury it.”
This tournament is the last chapter in the illustrious history of the Civic Centre, which has a slogan that proudly boasts, “Our Community Gathers Here.”
That has clearly been the case this week as supporters and volunteers have rallied to give the Esso Cup a social side to complement a major sporting competition.
‘DREAM COME TRUE’
The participants, especially the host Steelers, are feeling the love.
“It’s a dream come true,” said Alivia Foster, one of just a few girls from Lloydminster playing in the Esso Cup.
“You grow up watching all these girls play hockey and then you get to be a part of the team. And not only just a team, but being a part of nationals, too, it’s great. To see the whole community come out to watch us is really special. It’s really cool to see that everyone in the community wants to come watch us.”
Crowds in the 700 range greeted the Steelers for each of their first three games, including Sunday’s opening-night 2-1 overtime victory over the Atlantic champion Eastern Stars of Prince Edward Island. Bonnyville’s Kalie Cole, who scored both Lloyd goals, described the Civic Centre setting as “electric.”
Although the Steelers got behind early and suffered a 3-1 loss to the North York (Ont.) Storm on Tuesday night, they certainly didn’t show any quit in the third period. The well-rounded Foster, a rookie on defence, was named Lloyd’s player of the game. She’s looked good the entire tournament, wearing No. 6 as proudly as Hillmond’s Wade Redden did so during an all-star career in the NHL.
The rangy Foster skates well and isn’t afraid to go on the rush. She has a big fan in her 18-year-old brother, Aiden Foster, a sophomore forward with the WHL’s Prince George Cougars. Although his season has ended, Aiden has been ranked as a prospect for this year’s NHL draft.
“(The Cougars) lost out in the first round, but he’s really happy to be here and watching,” said Alivia, 15. “He’s been watching all the games and cheering. He thinks it’s a great experience.”
After three full days of action, the Steelers were at the bottom of the standings with one overtime win and two regulation losses. That made Lloyd’s final two round-robin games essentially must-win games.
As the Steelers participated in their post-game stretch late Tuesday, coach Dan Auchenberg said his girls recovered well after a tough start. He called a timeout when they fell behind 3-0 five minutes into the second period, made a goalie change and the Steelers showed better the rest of the way.
“We can’t wait till it’s 3-0 to play desperate hockey,” he said. “The last two teams that we played (North York and Edmonton) were in the Esso Cup last year. One was a silver-medallist and the other a bronze-medallist, so they know how to compete. They’ve been there.
“Overall, we’ve been working hard and staying with them, but to persevere through those kinds of games, you’ve got to be a 60-minute team, not just 20 or not 40.”
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