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PREP HOCKEY UPDATE 2022-23 - A Season to Remember

 

The Prep team usually ends their season by Presidents’ weekend but this year North Dakota University, which is a college hockey powerhouse, invited us to be part of a showcase to end the season in their building. The building, the Ralph Engelstad Arena,” is incredible and nicer than most NHL rinks and locker rooms. This showcase put us against the top team in the country plus two academies. The top Prince Edward Island hockey academy and the top Alberta academy. Each game was designed like a college game with 3-20 min periods. Going into this, I did it as a thank you to an incredible group of kids that have represented LFA throughout Canada, US, and in the community. Honestly, I did not like our chances to come out of this with a win but once again my team rose above expectations. Game 1 was against Mount Academy from PEI. The guys played an incredible game and battled to the end with a 3-3 tie. Noah Houle, Cole Matthews and Tommy Enrietto scored the goals while Charlie Campbell stopped 27-30 shots. In Game 2, we faced South Alberta Hockey Academy and the best youth hockey player in Canada, Gavin McKenna. This was the best game this team has played all year; fast and physical from the start to the end. Luke Hampel started the game with a blast from the point to make it 1-0. It stayed that way until the 2nd period when Tommy Enrietto ripped a shot past the Alberta goalie. Noah Houle scored to make it 3-0 after 2. Late in the game, Alberta scored to make it 3-1 but Ian Vandenberg shut the door in net and held McKenna off the scoreboard. Tommy Enrietto completed the scoring for an enormous 4-1 win. Ian ended the game with 25 saves. The last game against Northstar Academy was one that we just had no gas and a shot bench with 5 guys out. The guys played hard and gave it everything they had but came up on the losing end 5-2.  Jackson Macejko and Noah Houle scored the goals and Charlie Campbell made 20 saves on 24 shots and Ian Vandenberg had 18-19 saves. The Prep team ended the season 31-9-7 but above that it was one of my favorite teams in my 18 years and it is sad that it has come to an end. I am not sure I will ever see a group this close and this fully engaged in the community. To say it was an honor to coach them is an understatement.

~Coach Mades

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