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2005 Elite Enjoyed Quebec International PeeWee Hockey Tournament

02/19/2018, 11:00am EST
By alex

The experience of playing the Quebec International Pee-Wee Tournament is much more than just hockey. The chance to travel abroad and experience Canadian culture firsthand is truly a once in a lifetime experience. With that being said, the 2005 Elites enjoyed their time on the ice in Quebec and will bring home more than just the memories.

In their seven games played in Quebec, the team ended up with a winning 4-3 record. They opened tournament play with a 2-1 victory over the North Shore Winter Club thanks to goals from Brady Gilbert and Wesley Schwarzmiller, whose third period tally proved to be the game winner. With that win, the Pens Elite team moved on to the second round for a matchup with the Los Angeles Jr. Kings. Connor Ferguson scored a third period goal but it was ultimately not enough as the Kings prevailed 3-1.

The 2005 Elites did return home having won some hardware as they defeated Cole Harbour to win the 9th annual Crosby Cup. The Crosby Cup is an annual friendly game between Cole Harbour Pee-Wee AAA and Pittsburgh Penguins Elite. The trophy’s namesake is, of course, Penguins captain, Sidney Crosby, a native of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. Crosby played for the same Cole Habour Pee-Wee team that took the ice against the Pens Elite and was even coached by the same coach.

There was more to this trip than just hockey, however. The best way to learn about any new culture is to experience it firsthand. The Pens Elite players were lucky enough to say they learned about Quebecoise culture by billeting with families during their stay in Quebec. One perk of living with Canadian families in the winter was the chance to play pond hockey with their host families. Some players even went to school with the billet families’ sons and daughters for even more exposure to the culture.

The Quebec Pee-Wee Tournament is perfectly timed to coincide with the Quebec Winter Carnival and the Pens Elite team enjoyed that unique aspect of Quebecoise tradition. The Quebec Winter Carnival is located in downtown Quebec City and is one of the largest winter carnivals in the world and it features activities for all ages including night parades, snow slides, snow sculptures, shows and skating.

Another fun outing that the 2005 Elites had was to head to a “winter playground” snow park where the players slid down giant snow hills on tubes. They also had the opportunity to experience a cornerstone of Canadian culture by going to a sugar shack, a cabin where maple syrup is made, and had a local supper with live music.

It truly was a once in a lifetime experience for the 2005 Elites on and off the ice. The Quebec Pee-Wee Tournament is an event steeped in history and tradition. The privilege and magnitude of being able to participate in this tournament will hopefully never be lost on the Pens Elite squad.

 

 

 

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