It couldn’t have been a better end to the season for the Williams Lake Wheat midget hockey team when they travelled to Mackenzie March 7-8 for a tournament.
The team went unbeaten in five games, downing McBride for the championship in a tightly-contested shootout victory.
Williams Lake scored the go-ahead goal in the final with less than 40 seconds remaining in regulation.
McBride, not to be outdone, pulled its goalie and sent the game to overtime with just 1.6 seconds left on the clock.
After a five-minute overtime frame with no scoring, Jarred Yuill sniped one past the McBride netminder to seal the gold medal for Williams Lake.
In the semifinal Williams Lake shutout Smithers, 4-0, to advance.
Tanner Nickel provided the shutout between the pipes for Williams Lake, while captain Cody Mallette notched a hat trick.
Prior to Sunday’s playoff matchups Williams Lake beat McBride, 3-1, Mackenzie’s A team, 6-2, and Mackenzie’s B team, 6-1.
“All the players gave 110 per cent every game and always kept a positive attitude,” said Wheat head coach Tim Lussier.
“We had a great year, winning silver in the year-end challenge, and it was a great year for me, also, being able to coach this team.
“Having my son Danny on the bench as an assistant coach, the team winning a silver and a gold and receiving the coach of the year award. There are a lot of great coaches in Williams Lake, so I was totally caught off guard winning this one.”