Daniel McKitrick, 20, formerly of Coral Harbour, added another championship to his hockey resume as the Steinbach Pistons captured the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) title with a 2-1 victory over the Virden Oil Capitals in Virden, Man., on April 21.
All the scoring happened in the first 10 minutes of the game, and the Pistons put on a superb defensive display in making the 2-1 lead stand-up for 50 minutes.
The Pistons are now facing the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) champion Nipiwan Hawks for the right to advance to the RBC Cup SA国际影视传媒� Canada's national junior A hockey championship SA国际影视传媒� in Chilliwack, B.C., from May 12 to 20.
McKitrick has now passed the 200-point mark in his junior A career, counting his regular season and playoff points.
The speedy forward said he's now totally focused on getting to the RBC Cup.
He said he's familiar with the Nipiwan Hawks, having played about 20 games against them during his time in the SJHL.
SA国际影视传媒淭he Hawks play a bit different game than we do,SA国际影视传媒� said McKitrick. SA国际影视传媒淭hey're a bunch of huge guys SA国际影视传媒� sort of grinders SA国际影视传媒� but I only watched this year's Hawks team play one time over the Internet, so I don't really know that much about them. When I played against them, they were always pretty tough and did a lot of hitting, so we'll just have to see how the series goes.SA国际影视传媒�
McKitrick said it was a good feeling being on the ice with his parents and the MJHL championship trophy on April 21.
He said being in his last year of junior eligibility helps motivate him even more to reach the RBC Cup.
SA国际影视传媒淭here's a couple of 20-year-olds on our team and it feels like I'm playing way harder anyway knowing it's my last chance to get there,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 mean, I played hard this past year too, winning the RBC Cup with the Cobourg Cougars but this year I feel, as a 20-year-old, I'm skating really hard and focusing really hard.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淛ust playing in that tournament again, going in back-to-back, would be something else because, after the round-robin, anything can happen in one game at the RBC Cup in both the semifinal and final SA国际影视传媒� and we still have to win four more games to get there SA国际影视传媒� but this is a year I feel we can get it done,SA国际影视传媒� he added.
McKitrick's parents, Leonie and Bruce of Coral Harbour, were happy to have made the trip to Manitoba to see their son claim the MJHL championship.
Bruce said the final series pitting the first place Pistons against the second place Oil Capitals was an up-and-down affair.
He said things looked bleak when the Oil Capitals took an early 2-0 series lead, but Steinbach roared back with four straight wins.
SA国际影视传媒淲e had to make our way down there for this one in case it turned out to be his last junior A game,SA国际影视传媒� said Bruce.
Bruce got to watch his son score the game winning goal in game 3 and then go on to assist on the winning goal in the championship game.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was awesome,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
It was also nerve-wracking watching the clock for 50 minutes and waiting for the final buzzer to sound while hoping a one-goal lead would hold up, he said.
SA国际影视传媒淚t's fun now to rewind the game and watch it in my head, but not so much when it was actually happening,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
Bruce said the atmosphere was fantastic for game 6 in the Virden arena.
He said the time spent watching the game reminded him of a Kivalliq tournament in Rankin Inlet.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was just like when we went to the Avataq in Rankin; being on the ice for an hour after the game with all the parents was awesome,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e won't forget the experience anytime soon, that's for sure.SA国际影视传媒�
