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Incredible experience for Bantam AA players in international game

Sylvan Lake’s arena buzzed with excitement last Thursday night as the home town Bantam AA Lakers took on the Arapahoe Warriors

Sylvan Lake’s arena buzzed with excitement last Thursday night as the home town Bantam AA Lakers took on the Arapahoe Warriors from Denver, Colorado in an international game sure to be remembered for years by these young players.

This is the tenth year of international competition between teams from Denver and Sylvan Lake.

“It’s such a great experience for our players. This was a game our guys have had circled in their calendars for a long time,” said Lakers head coach Pat Garritty. “Some of our players have been playing the Warriors since their days in Atom and others this was their first international experience. Either way you look at it, it was an experience they won’t soon forget.”

The Warriors’ head coach is Sean Caple, a Central Alberta product, thus the connection to the area. They played several games while in Central Alberta.

Arapahoe Warriors Youth Hockey Association is one of the premier youth hockey associations in Colorado. The Bantam AA team is the reigning Colorado state champions and lost in the quarter finals at the 2013 USA Hockey U14 Tier II Nationals in Newark, New Jersey.

“They only play 18 league games and their games are 14 minute periods with no flood so this was a great experience for them,” Garritty said of the Arapahoe team.

The evening started with Kassidy Goodall singing the Star Spangled Banner and Carly Kennedy singing O’Canada. Then it was on to the action with Jared Waldo of Zed99 doing the announcing.

The Warriors jumped onto the scoreboard two and a half minutes into the game when Adam Anderson netted a goal assisted by Taylor Dugas and Jared Duncan.

About a minute later Gunnar Kasha notched the first marker for the Lakers with assists from Landon Siegle and Brad Hellofs. The score at the end of the first was tied 1-1.

Again early in the second the Warriors beat the Laker goalie when Billy Bostwick scored unassisted less than two minutes in.

Ryan Chambers scored an unassisted goal for the Lakers to tie the game, then about midway through the second Landon Siegle gave the Lakers a lead, the only time they were ahead during the game.

The Warriors then shut down the offensive efforts of the Lakers scoring three goals in the final six minutes of the second and adding two more unanswered markers in the final frame. The game ended 7-3 for the visitors.

“We lost our form for a bit. They’re a good team and took advantage of it,” said Garritty. “It was an incredible experience for our players.”

“They are well coached and have a very high skill level. Their program is highly regarded in the U.S. and they’re the one to beat in Colorado.”