Silver Linings: U10 Warriors’ Inspiring Journey at Lake Placid
Feature Story by Kerry Schiffer
The U10 Warriors were invited to play in the prestigious CAN/AM Challenge Cup, in Lake Placid, NY. Games were played in the Olympic Complex, where the “Miracle on Ice” occurred in 1980 as well as the 1932 Olympic ice. Needless to say there was much excitement from the players as well as their coaches, parents and family members!
The events started on Thursday afternoon with a family skate on the 1980s ice followed by the opening ceremonies. Our team felt like Olympians. Introduced onto the ice with a banner, watching as an American, Canadian, & CAN/AM flag were hoisted to the rafters, as well as the lighting of the Olympic torch on the ice. After opening ceremonies, it was time for game 1 of our 3 round robin games. The Warriors took on the Flyers Youth from New Jersey on the 1932 rink. The Warriors showed up to play and had a 10-1 victory.
Friday was time for game 2. The Warriors took on the Greater New Haven Warriors from Connecticut – on the USA rink. This game was a nail-biter with non-stop action, ending in a 2-2 tie. Next up, was game 3, on Saturday. The Warriors took on the Devils Elite from Massachusetts on the 1980s rink. During this game, the team got to use THE locker room, Locker Room 5, where the 1980 Olympic coach, Herb Brooks, delivered one of the most powerful hockey pep talks ever.
The excitement and respect for the opportunity to be in that locker room was felt by each and every player, coach and parent. Game 3 ended in a 6-3 victory. Having a record of 2-0-1, placed the team in first and set them up to play the Gold Medal game on Sunday.
On Sunday morning, the Warriors took on Quincy Youth Hockey from Massachusetts for the Gold or Silver Medal. This game was intense. The Warriors scored 10 seconds into the first period and held onto that lead for 2 solid periods. In the last minute of play in the 3rd period, the Quincy team, pulled their goalie, had an extra attacker, and scored the tying goal with 49 seconds left in the game.
The Warriors did not give up and continued to battle on the ice into a sudden death 3 on 3 overtime. With 6:54 left on the clock, overtime was brought to an end when Quincy scored the winning goal. Emotions ran wild on the ice as the Warriors earned 2nd place, bringing home the Silver Medal. The Warrior family is beyond proud of this team’s effort, teamwork, and grit.
