The Yellowknife Wolfpack peewees finished off their 2017-2018 season last week and did it by taking on some guests from south of the border.

The San Diego Saints AA peewees from California paid the capital a visit to play a series of exhibition games at the Multiplex on April 5 and 6. The first two games saw both teams going head-to-head, which were split one win apiece, with the final two games seeing the teams mixed up with one another for fun.

Brad Anstey, head coach of the Wolfpack peewees, said the whole thing came together at the Coca-Cola Classic tournament in Vernon, B.C., this past February.

SA国际影视传媒淚 was in a hospitality room set up for the parents and I met the coach of the team (Josh Robinson),SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e were talking about Shawnigan Lake (B.C.) and how my boy played there. He told me one of his friends had a son who played there as well.SA国际影视传媒�

Once Anstey found out his son, Ethan, and the other player played on the very same line in Shawnigan Lake, an instant friendship was struck.

Both Anstey and Robinson suggested each team pay a visit to the other's city, which ended up seeing San Diego come North after Anstey canvassed his parents to get their thoughts about heading to California.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey thought maybe San Diego could come here and Josh said no problem,SA国际影视传媒� said Anstey. SA国际影视传媒淲e told them we would make it worth their while to come.SA国际影视传媒�

In between the hockey, the Saints were given the VIP treatment during their time in Yellowknife with traditional games demonstrations, taking part in a drum dance, seeing the northern lights at Aurora Village and ice fishing at Walsh Lake among the scheduled activities.

It was when the teams were out at Walsh Lake that a surprise was on store, said Anstey.

SA国际影视传媒淎ir Tindi sent out a float plane and took both sets of teams up to give them a tour of the area, all free of charge,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淗ere they are fishing and all of a sudden, this plane comes and lands. That was awesome.SA国际影视传媒�

The San Diego players seemed to have the time of their lives, according to Oliver Miller, one of the visiting players.

He said the atmosphere was friendly all the way through.

SA国际影视传媒淚 like the games a bit rough but it was all friendly competition,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 felt like there was some really good competition out there between the teams.SA国际影视传媒�

Ethan Overman of the Saints said he did a bit of research about Yellowknife before coming up so he knew what it was all about.

SA国际影视传媒淚 just wanted to see how far North it was,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 saw it was pretty close to the Arctic Circle and I was looking at the temperature every day.SA国际影视传媒�

To help save money, the Saints players billeted with the Wolfpack players, something Overman said he liked.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey treated us well,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭hey did have the advantage a bit because they were on home ice but it was all good.SA国际影视传媒�

The Wolfpack players seemed to enjoy it as well, especially Ethan Carr, who said it was fun to play them.

SA国际影视传媒淗ere in Yellowknife, we don't get too much competition like we had against them,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚t's good to have a team like that come up that's close to our skill level.SA国际影视传媒�

When Emery Golchert heard San Diego was coming up, he said he couldn't wait.

SA国际影视传媒淚 was excited and I was looking up where San Diego was,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚t was just a very good experience having them come up here.SA国际影视传媒�

The exchange was intended to be a one-time deal but Anstey said it went so well, he's planning on doing something like this again with more teams.

SA国际影视传媒淚'd like to repeat this if I can,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭hose guys from San Diego went back home and I'm sure they're telling everyone how great our city is and how good the hockey is and how good our facilities are. You can go to any cookie-cutter hockey tournament and drop $1,500 in entry fees, play a bunch of games and go home but something like this is so much different. All of these kids will remember this for a long time and they've made a whole bunch of new friends.SA国际影视传媒�

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