The Maidstone/Turtleford Midget Jets have had a successful regular season and are looking for a S.T.E.P. League title heading into March. After regular season play the Jets ended up in second place with a record of 18-3-0, second only to Meadow Lake. With the season winding down, it was time to take February by storm with an eye on provincials, gearing up for league playoffs and a road trip to a memorable tournament south of the border.
The first round of C provincials, at home Jan. 31, the Jets fell to the Shellbrook Elks 4-3.They would then bus to Shellbrook for game two of the two-game total-point series four days later. The Jets won 8-2 and moved on to the next round.
In the meantime, they travelled to Great Falls, Mont. Feb. 14 to 17 to compete in a USA/Canadian Midget A and AA Tournament. The 24th annual Casey Cup Memorial Tournament consists of teams from Montana, Alberta and this year the Jets were the only team from Saskatchewan and were acknowledged at the opening ceremonies as being the team that travelled the furthest (over 11 and a half hours) to compete.
After a win Friday night, followed by a loss Saturday afternoon that knocked the Jets down to a consolation final Sunday. The team lost their final game. Everyone had a great time and lots of memories made. Their head coach, Nathan Loomes, played in this same tournament as a midget with his Saskatoon AA team and won the tourney the year he went.
Once home, the team had to get their heads around not only starting the first round of playoffs, but looking at the second round of provincials as well.They started off the playoff race with a home win over Goodsoil Feb.19 by a score of 8-4. With a tight schedule, they laced up the next night up in Goodsoil and took another win, this time 8-0 to move on.
One more nights rest, and then back into provincials. The Jets hosted Porcupine Plain Jan. 22. The Jets packed the house with fans, but came up short against the super fast team, and took a 5-2 loss, which in a two-game total-point affair, is hard to come back on, not impossible, just difficult.
The Jets took a couple days off and then to Tisdale Feb. 24, staying the night there and having a pregame skate the next day before hopping back on the bus to make it the rest of the way to Porcupine Plain. They took a second loss to them with a score of 5-1, and the chance of furthering themselves in provincials was over.
A much-needed rest gave the Jets a week off before they began S.T.E.P. league semifinal action versus the Edam 3 Stars Monday. Once again a full house of fans came out to cheer on the Jets, and the Jets were victorious with a 7-4 victory for game one. Stellar performance by netminder Andrew Boyachek kept them in the game during the first, and they turned things around in the second to get their wheels going.Game two was scheduled for Wednesday in Edam.
If the Jets took it in two games, Meadow Lake is waiting for them to play in the finals. If Edam won on Wednesday, the third and deciding game will be in Maidstone Monday, March 11 at 7:15 p.m.
The Midget boys and coaching staff have had a great season and have some great stats to prove it. They have an 18-3-0 record from the regular season and carrying into the playoffs, have 146 goals and 168 assists for a total of 314 team points, and in a 21-day span, have had the experience of travelling 3,587km on road trips for hockey. Not a lot of teams have the heart and drive to "keep on keepin' on," but this squad sure does.
