It wasn’t the best of weekends for the Sooke Thunderbirds, but the team showed encouraging signs to coach Kevin Berger.
The local minor hockey club placed seventh out of eight teams at the Alberni Valley Minor Hockey Association Midget Tournament.
The Thunderbirds lost 3-0 to Maple Ridge, 2-0 againist Vancouver and doubled up by Powell River 4-2 before bouncing back on Sunday 5-2 victory over Oceanside Generals.
“The outcome was not as good as anticipated,” Berger said.
The Sooke squad was shorthanded for the entire tournament struggling at times with just 13 players, due to injury, suspension and personal commitments.
“What this weekend did show is that if we were healthy, we are unstoppable. We’ve beaten all these teams (except Vancouver) in the past,” Berger said. “We weren’t out of any of the games.”
The weekend also provided a good teambuilding experience with platers bunking and eating together.
Berger hopes to get his team on track this Saturday (Nov. 21) when it hosts Oceanside Generals at SEAPARC Leisure Complex arena. Game time is 3 p.m.
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The Sooke Thunderbirds Midget Female team squeaked out a 4-3 victory over Cowichan Valley Capitals.
The local side was up 4-1 going into the third period, but managed to hold on for the win. Three of Sooke’s goals were short-handed.
Haley Dimock netted a hat trick and Kailee Purnell potted one for Sooke.