A first run through Hockey Alberta competition proved to be a golden opportunity for an Okotokian.
Rocky Mountain Raiders forward Ella Simard and Team South Green won the Alberta Challenge in shutout fashion, holding Team North Yellow off the scoreboard in a 1-0 triumph to win the U15 female hockey showcase event on May 7 at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre in Red Deer.
“It was an amazing experience for sure and I couldn’t have done without all of my teammates,” said Simard, a 2009-born forward in her first year at the U15 level. “And it was cool playing with and against players that I’ve played with and it was really fun overall and to win.”
In the gold medal game, Green got on the board in the second period with Simard assisting on Kat Nakama’s tally that held up as the game winner with netminder Brylee Hull stopping all 19 shots on goal.
“It was really crazy, honestly,” said Simard. “Our goalie was outstanding and had an amazing game.
“On our team our coaches were amazing and everyone just got along really well, there wasn’t any groups, just one group and everybody hung out with each other and everyone wanted to get know each other and we had a good bond.”
https://twitter.com/TeamABHockey/status/1655390005911777280
In pool play, South Green skated to a 2-1-1 record with wins over North Blue and South Black.
The 14-year-old had two goals in the 6-2 win over South Black.
Simard had the opportunity to play on a line with her Raiders teammate Brynn Evans, from Strathmore, as well as skating extensively with forwards Lyla Deis and Eden Schellenberg.
“I’m hoping to get asked back to the (Hockey Alberta) summer camp,” said Simard, who tallied 24 points in 26 games for the Raiders in 2022-23. “And If I don’t, I just can take things from this weekend and learn from some of the stuff I did.”
Okotoks’ Kamryn Reiber won bronze as a member of Team South White, scoring two goals in the tournament. Okotokians Bianca Faso, Kamryn Kutzner and Avaya McCann skated for Team South White, which ultimately finished fourth in Red Deer.
For more information on the event, visit abchallenge.ca.
