The Williams Lake Red Wings finished atop the Williams Lake Minor Hockey Association’s 12-team Bantam House Tournament Sunday, downing the Kamloops Eagles, 6-3, to win the title.
The Red Wings, with goals from Hunter Mennie (2), Trevor Chaffee (2) and Rylen Williamson, built a solid 5-0 lead by early in the third period before the Eagles found their legs.
Kamloops answered back with three goals of its own but Lukas Johnson, with 4:50 remaining, sealed the deal for the Red Wings.
Red Wings coach David Baye credited the solid play of first-year goaltender Mason Carrier, along with a strong team effort, in sealing the win.
“Our team played great all tournament,” Baye said.
“The third game we had a little bit of a lapse, but we were really good in our first, second and fourth games. We’re fortunate we’ve got a lot of really good kids on our team.
“They’re good hockey players and they all get along. They pass the puck and they’re a lot of fun to be around.”
Speaking on Carrier, Baye said it was a well-deserved win for the rookie netminder.
“He’s never played before this year and to win the tournament in his first tournament is pretty good,” he said.
Red Wings captain Jared Davey echoed those statements, noting Carrier’s play was the highlight of the tournament for him.
“I liked our goalie’s saves the best,” Davey said. “His second game, he played really well.”
Davey said the key to the tournament was how everyone worked together.
“We used the boards well and passed lots,” he said.
In the bronze-medal match is was the Kamloops Boltz shutting out the Williams Lake Big Chiefs, 2-0.
In the battle for fifth and sixth it was the Williams Lake Blues Brothers beating the Williams Lake Silverbacks, 5-3.
The Williams Lake Chunder Monkeys finished seventh, knocking off Quesnel Amboy Logging, 5-1, while the ninth/10th game saw the Westide Warriors knock off the Prince George Northland Water Penguins, 3-2.
The tournament, which ran from Jan. 11-13 at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex, featured five teams from Williams Lake, two teams from Quesnel, two teams from Kamloops, Westside and the North Okanagan Knights.