Local AJHL players help bring home gold at World Junior A Challenge

Gavin Garland was back on the ice with his Calgary Canucks teammates this week after taking home gold at a national junior hockey tournament.

Garland was part of the Canada West team at the World Junior A Challenge in Truro, N.S.

Garland and his teammates skated away with the gold medal, beating Canada East in the final 7-2. Garland says it’s a feeling he’ll never forget.

“Definitely a wicked experience,” said the 17-year-old.

“Especially representing the maple leaf and then obviously winning the gold medal there with a good group of guys. Definitely never felt like that before and probably something that I’ll always remember.”

CANADA WEST FOUND THEIR GAME

Canada West got off to a slow start in the tournament. They were 1-3 in the preliminary round.

But they were able to turn things around. Okotoks Oilers forward Jack Silverberg was the captain of the Canada West team and he says it was all about work ethic.

“We knew that if we could outwork teams we’d beat them,” he said.

“Everybody in this tournament is skilled, so once we figured we could outwork guys it kind of worked like butter for us.”

Sam Huck also plays for the Okotoks Oilers. He says Canada West grew as a team.

“The longer we were here, we got together more and started building more bonds and it showed on the ice. We started playing better every game and then it got us here,” Huck said.

BIG REPRESENTATION FROM AJHL

Canada West was represented by Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. B.C. didn’t take part because they went off on their own.

Garland was the lone Calgary Canuck on the roster, but he was surrounded by players from the Alberta Junior Hockey League.

In total, 19 of the 22 players were from the AJHL. Garland says that just goes to show you how good the league is.

“It was a surprise that we had that many to show for wearing the maple Leaf there. We had five guys from Sherwood Park and six guys from Brooks and it was pretty wicked to be representing the AJHL there,” he said.

FROM FRIENDS TO FOES

On Sunday night, Garland was celebrating winning the gold medal with his Canada West teammates. On Monday, night he was facing off against two of them.

The Canucks beat the Blackfalds Bulldogs 4-1 and Garland says it was a pretty funny experience.

“So the day we flew back we were playing Blackfalds here at Max Bell and so the two guys that are on Blackfalds were also playing that same night,” he laughed.

“When we were warming up and just seeing them, I was literally on a flight with these guys not even four or five hours ago and now I’m playing against them, it was hilarious.”

Garland and the Canucks have one more game until the holiday break. They’re in Canmore to play the Eagles on Friday night.