Defending champs repeat at juvenile broomball nationals

The teams that entered the Broomball Canada juvenile nationals in Estevan as the defending champions successfully defended their national titles.

Nationals were held at Affinity Place and the Civic Auditorium from March 28 to 31. The Caj Centre-du-QC defeated Ontario’s Eastern Thunder 1-0 in triple overtime to win the women’s title for the second straight year.

The Valley Gamblers edged their Ontario rivals, the Sting, 2-1 in overtime in the men’s final to also repeat as champions.

None of the teams in the women’s tournament were able to dominate the round-robin, as each team lost at least twice. Caj Centre went 2-3 in the round-robin, while the Thunder were 3-2.

In the semi-final, Caj Centre defeated their Quebec rivals, T-Miss, by a 2-1 score, while the Thunder upended the Palmerston Terminators 1-0.

In the final, the Thunder’s goaltender, Stefanie Gorman, was injured midway through the first overtime, forcing captain Gracin MacMillian to play goal. She came up with several key saves.

The Thunder had opportunities to win the game in the second overtime, thanks to three power plays, but they couldn’t beat goaltender Chloe Bouchard. 

It was a Caj Centre power-play late in the third overtime that yielded the winning goal, with Delaine Hester scoring the winner.

“They beat us in the preliminary game, but we stood up and we knew we could beat them and we did it,” said Caj Centre defenceman Christine Cyr.

Cyr said they were thrilled to repeat, especially since there was so much depth in this year’s tournament.

“We had ups and downs during the tournament, but it was a nice time, because we stepped up in the right time, in the semifinal and the final,” said Cyr. “They were very, very strong games.”

Cyr paid tribute to Bouchard for her play, particularly during the overtime period.

She also praised the venues where the games took place, and the efforts of the organizing committee, who ensured that everything was well-organized.

The Gamblers and the Sting were the two best teams throughout the men’s tournament. They each went 5-0 in the round-robin. The Gamblers defeated Saskatchewan’s champions, the Bruno Axemen, 3-1 in the semifinal.

The Sting, meanwhile, defeated Team Manitoba 5-2 in the semifinal.

The final was scoreless through the opening half, but Nick Last scored 4:21 into the second half to give the Gamblers the lead. It appeared it might be enough, until Mikael Gibeault tallied for the Sting with 46 seconds left in the second half to tie the game.

Bradley Nicola’s goal with 6:39 to play in the first overtime period lifted the Gamblers to victory. The goal game on a delayed penalty call, and was controversial, as the Blitz thought there was a glove-hand pass before the goal.

“One of the toughest things in sport is to repeat as champions, and not just to repeat, but to repeat with 10 different kids,” said coach Kevin Kealey.

The Gamblers had 12 players who weren’t part of last year’s team, and Kealey was impressed with how the players came together.

“Teamwork was the key,” said Kealey. “It was coming together as a group and buying into a system that we put in place for the kids that they all can learn, and if everyone does the same system over and over, we learn as we go.”

Kealey expected to see the Sting would be in the final. They’re a very good team who beat the Gamblers in all of their previous meetings this season. 

Both teams are from the Ottawa area, and so they’re very familiar with each other. After the teams were presented with the medals, many of the Sting and Gambler players were hugging during the postgame handshakes.

“A lot of our boys grew up and went to high school with them, and know each other very well,” said Kealey.

Kealey echoes Cyr’s statements about the venue, and the work of the organizing committee.

“The organizing committee did a fantastic job throughout the week,” said Kealey. “There weren’t any complaints. We just came to play, and everything was done for us.” 

Eight men’s teams and eight women’s teams were entered in juvenile nationals. They played round-robin games from March 28 to 30, and playoff games on March 30 and 31.

Opening ceremonies took place in the evening of March 28. The team MVPs, the tournament all-stars and the top scorers from the round-robin were recognized during an awards banquet on March 30.