
© J. Ashley Nixon
STIX Dubs Step up to win first game
Calgary Team STIX were fielding two teams at the Canada Cup West tournament in Kelowna this season. The action started on Friday in what is recognized as Western Canada’s premier spring hockey tournament. In one of the early morning games, played in an arena tucked under the shadow of Mount Boucherie, the STIX Dubs (AA team) put in a couple of goals to win 2-0 against the Vancouver Island Monarchs AA team.

© J. Ashley Nixon
Three TCPs is too much for the STIX Trips
The result went the other way for the STIX AA side (the Trips) in the afternoon at the Capital News Centre arena. Team STIX was leading after their goal in the first period and continued to play a good possessive game through the second. TCP pulled one back on a power-play in the third period then took the lead two minutes later. One more goal secured their win, 3-1.

© J. Ashley Nixon

© J. Ashley Nixon
Junior Pandas make it two wins in a day
The Dubs returned across Lake Okanagan toWest Kelowna for their late afternoon game against the Junior Pandas, who select players from across Alberta. The game went deservedly to the University of Alberta associated team 2-0, who put in a well-controlled yet physical performance. The result might have been closer had a puck clearly and fairly buried into the net been identified as such by the ice officials.

© J. Ashley Nixon

© J. Ashley Nixon
A peach of a game versus Okanagan All Stars AAA

© J. Ashley Nixon
One period completed and things were not looking good for the Stix Trips (Calgary Team STIX AAA) going into the interval three goals down. This was fast-paced, playoff type hockey filled with physicality. The STIX goalie, Jazzie Rodak was shelled with shot after shot in the second. She held tight until 14 minutes in, when a hard shot from the Okanagan right winger lifted to beat her above the glove. Four goals down but not out. The STIX kept at it, hitting the crossbar at 3 minutes to go in the second. Encouraged by that close contact, they scored a minute later to go into the second interval 4-1.
Seven minutes to go in the third and the STIX scored again to make it 4-2.

© J. Ashley Nixon
With a minute to go, the STIX pulled their goalie and sent out six forwards on a mission to score two more. They got one in, scored by Hailey Wiltshire with 27 seconds remaining on the clock.

© J. Ashley Nixon
Final score: Okanagan All Stars 4-3 Calgary Team STIX.
What a peach of a game in BC.
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