Alberta teams hoping for better tourney results

Alberta's representatives are hoping for some improved performances at this year's National Aboriginal Hockey Championships (NAHC). The Canadian tournament, which begins on April 30, will be held in Kahnawake, Que.

Alberta will once again be sending two clubs-one girls', one boys' -to the NAHC.
As was the case at last year's national tournament held in Miramichi, N.B., this year's event will feature nine girls' and nine boys' squads.

Despite winning three of the six games it played a year ago, the Alberta boys' squad ended up placing seventh in its division.

The Alberta girls' side didn't fare even that well. It played five matches and ended up losing four of those while tying the other. The club was eliminated from further play following a quarter-final loss.
Leiha Crier is returning as the head coach of the Alberta girls' team.

"I'm hoping they're going to do a lot better than last year," she said.

Ten out of the 20 players on the team also participated in the 2005 NAHC. This year's Alberta squad will be younger than the one that represented the province last season.

That in part is because tournament officials have changed the age restrictions in the girls' division.
In the past, girls' teams were allowed to carry as many as five players between the ages of 18 and 21. But this year clubs can carry a maximum of five players aged 18 to 19. Those older players are no longer eligible to take part.

Crier said she is purposely icing a young team. Her lineup will include a pair of 13-year-olds, two 14-year-olds, five 15-year-olds, and five players each from the 16 to 17 and 18 to 19 groupings.
While competing at the NAHC, players are also hoping to be impressive enough to earn an invitation to a week-long Aboriginal high performance camp held in Ottawa each summer.
"The kids they look at more are the younger ones," Crier said. "So I'm just trying to give as many of my players that opportunity. "

Crier said other squads competing at this year's national tournament are also expected to ice younger clubs.

"From my understanding, a lot of teams are changing to the same format I'm doing," she said.
The Alberta girls' squad was chosen following three tryout camps in Hobbema. The camps were held in December, January and February.

One of the reasons Crier is expecting some improved performances from her charges this year is because more of her players are now playing at a higher level.

"I think I have a bigger team this year," Crier said, adding she believes her club this time around also has faster players and individuals with better attitudes.

As for the Alberta boys' squad, Danny Buffalo, who is in his third season of coaching the team, has some high expectations.

"This is probably, on paper, the best team we've had," Buffalo said.

The club's 24-player roster includes just six individuals who were also on last year's team. Three others were also eligible to return but didn't make the cut this time around.

"I think it's because of the calibre of players that came out this year," Buffalo said.

A total of 83 players showed up for the club's tryout camp in Hobbema this past December.
Buffalo said the majority of the squad was chosen from that one camp. But he had saved a few roster spots for elite players who were participating at a prestigious tournament in Calgary during the time the camp was held.

Buffalo believes his team is especially strong on the blue line.

"We've got three defencemen playing at the AAA midget level and one is playing Junior B," he said. "That's where I think our strength will be."

The same nine clubs that took part at last year's NAHC will compete in both the girls' and boys' divisions at this year's event.

Besides Alberta, those who will be represented are Saskatchewan, Manitoba, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, Ontario North, Ontario South, Eastern Door and The North (Quebec) and Team Atlantic.