After finishing second in the league, the Jasper Bears Peewee B team successfully made it through the first round of playoffs over the weekend beating Whitecourt 8-4 and 11-1.

The team of boys and girls aged between 10 and 12 also beat Riviere Que-Barre 7-1 in the PeeWee Provincial playoffs in a hard-hitting, physical game on Sunday afternoon. 

It’s the second year running that the Bears have made it through to the provincial playoffs.

Susan Shutiak, the Bears’ manager, said the kids were very excited to be back in the playoffs. “It’s our second time at provincials over the last two years and for the first year kids they’re pretty excited, they haven’t gone yet,” she said.

The Bears were strides ahead of Whitecourt in both games with their captain and forward Trent Romaniuk leading the team to victory by scoring three goals on Saturday and Sunday. 

The young forward also played hard to get another three goals in the provincial game against Riviere Que-Barre.

Coach Brad Romaniuk said the boys had done well to play hard all weekend noting that it was good they had a day to recover after three rigorous games of hockey across one weekend. “The boys have a lot of heart and soul, [but] it took a lot of effort to play three playoff games in a weekend. The kids are tired, thank God it’s a long weekend.”

The team’s two goaltenders Emerson Eady and Brandon Shutiuk did well to keep Whitecourt quiet throughout the weekend, stopping over 90 shots on goal throughout the weekend. 

Eady stood on his head in the provincial game, letting only one puck sneak by him of the 35 shots on goal.

The boys and girls are on the road this weekend playing their league playoffs against Slave Lake on Saturday and then onto Rivere Que-Barre on Sunday to continue the provincial playoffs.