With their season on the line, Hockey A delivered when it mattered the most. After going 3-0 at state playdowns, the Hockey A team will advance to state on the 28th of February. With a total of 20 goals scored and only two allowed, the team stayed consistent with their offense, with highest-scoring player Tyler Drouin contributing two hat tricks and a total of eight goals, playing a leading role in the team’s push to secure their place at state.
Senior defenseman Will Ellenwood shared his thoughts on the playdown weekend.
“We really came together [and] we all agreed that we didn’t want our season to end,” Ellenwood reported. “So, we brought a lot of energy and played a very good team game.”
He described the team’s push to make it to state by sharing the mindset they carried during the game, emphasizing how much the team relied on one another in the moments that mattered most.
“[The] team’s mindset was do or die; we really didn’t want to go home,” Ellenwood commented. “We [just] really wanted to [leave it] all out on the ice.”
Fueled by a “do or die” mentality, Hockey A poured every ounce of energy into each game, keeping their focus sharp until they made their way up to state. This determination carried them from every moment on the ice, allowing the team to stay composed and give their best in every game.
Their dedication was shown in the results. The team opened the weekend with a dominating 7-1 win over Columbus, with Tyler Drouin and Evan Swann leading the way offensively, and finishing strong with a 4-1 victory in their final matchup, including key goals from Jack Cutter and Cam Young.
In addition to their offensive strength, Hockey A displayed control on both sides of the rink. Offensively, the Royals are hard to beat. Multiple players like Drouin, Swann, and Cutter contributed to the 20-goal weekend, highlighting their unity as a team and their ability to not pass up open opportunities when they see one. Each goal did not only bring them closer to state, but also made their audience stand up and cheer in support of the team, keeping the fans on their feet and feeding into the team’s momentum.
The team’s communication, discipline, and strong positioning played a key role in their success during the playoffs, while goalkeeper Finn Jones anchored the net with steady and confident play, including a shutout against St. Joe (Blue). Hockey A’s collective focus and unity ensured they stayed in control throughout the weekend, turning each game in their favor to earn their way to state.
With their season on the line, Hockey A proved not only their skill on the ice but also the strength of their teamwork and leadership. The energy and resilience their team displayed over the weekend set the tone for their state competition to come ahead. 
