Forty athletes from across Northern Manitoba faced off in a steamy C.A. Nesbitt Arena Aug. 30 for the Norman Northstars inter-squad game, vying for the right to represent the team in its 25th season.
Justin Valentino of Thompson provided all the offence the white squad needed for the win in the first period, opening the scoring eight minutes into the contest on a feed from behind the net while dropping to his knees, then doubling the advantage four minutes later on a partial breakaway after the blue squad's Dennis Dorian had a shot blocked in the slot. Valentino, who scored four goals and six assists with the midget AAA Northstars last season, added his hat trick marker in the last minute of the third, firing a puck into an empty net to give the white squad a 4-1 win.
The second inter-squad game wrapped up the three-day tryouts for the Northstars, which attracted 60 players from Manitoba and Nunavut, up slightly from last year's record-low of 54 but down from the 2007-2008 season camp, which had 60-plus forwards and defence along with 15 goalies.
"The number of players trying out was a bit lower then past years , but there was no lack of talent," said Northstars head coach Doug Korman, noting that final decisions were affected by some of what he saw in the second inter-squad game. "The two inter-squad games were high tempo, some physical play and great goaltending. The final spots on the team weren't picked until the buzzer went at the end of game two. There were some players that stole jobs from others with their exceptional play and effort."
What the coaching staff looked for during the tryouts was the ability of players to take their game to the high-energy level required to play against the top midget players in the province.
"One thing the coaches saw was that there were players that have the talent but lacked the intensity that is needed to play at this level," said Korman. "This is something that is learned as a player matures. The ability to be the first one to the puck, to play a little bit reckless, to be willing to sacrifice your body."
The Northstars also used the weekend to give a few younger players a taste of what they could be facing in the future.
"We invited a few 14-year-olds out, to give them some exposure for next year and they proved and have shown that the future looks great for the Northstars," said the coach.
For the coaching staff, the time before the season starts will be spent trying to develop a team that will have a little more room to maneuver than last year's squad, which played all its home games in the cramped Gordon Beard Arena while the C.A. Nesbitt underwent a retrofit.
"As far as molding the type of team the Northstars will have this year, the coaches will look at playing on a bigger ice surface and adapt a system around that," said Korman, which will be a challenge to both coaches and players. "Still having a few players out at junior camps, it will be Sept. 8th before we have everyone together as a team to begin our practices."
Along with Valentino, eight other players in the inter-squad game spent time on the Northstars last year, including Zac Zales, Dylan Hykawy, Kenton Fayant, Wayne Folster, goaltender Ryan Delorme, Lorne Leslie, Rankin Inlet's Roger Tagoona and Allan Meyer.
Hykawy had a second-period goal for the white squad while Cole Doak scored the blue squad's only goal on a penalty shot for hooking in the middle frame.
Korman says he's looking forward to seeing some of his former players back in the C.A. Nesbitt Arena this weekend when the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League's Flin Flon Bombers play an exhibition match against the OCN Blizzard of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League on Saturday.
"It will be a treat to see Tanner [Korchinski], Brennan [Cox] and Dougie [McLeod] again."
