The “young” 14 Wing Greenwood Bombers opened the Canadian Armed Forces men’s national championships at CFB Wainwright February 27 against the Petawawa Stags.
Before stepping on the ice, Greenwood players donned “Burnsie 31” stickers on their helmets, in honour of a CAF friend and former Bomber, Master Warrant Officer Chris Burns, who passed away in 2020 playing hockey with the Wainwright Senior AA Rustlers.
The Bombers came out a bit sluggish, down 2-0 within four minutes. Attempting to battle back, they ended the period ended down 4-2. In the second, penalty trouble (with inconsistent calls) caused further disciplined penalties, resulting in a 5-2 standing. Petawawa scored once more in the third, a final 6-2 loss for Greenwood. Sailor First Class Michael Butt, an augmentee from 12 Wing Shearwater, was named game MVP for Greenwood.
Second day action saw Greenwood take on the Esquimalt Tritons. The Bombers quickly found themselves down 4-1 after the first but, after an intermission “discussion,” battled to a 4-4 tie at the end of regulation. A three-on-three overtime was settled at 2:20, with the Tritons getting the final tally and giving Greenwood the 5-4 loss. The Bombers did out-play the opposition, and were determined to keep that momentum heading into the next game against the Valcartier Lions. Corporal Tyler Hawes was Greenwood’s game MVP.
On Day 3, the Bombers went on the attack in the first period against the Lions, getting two quick goals and, with a short lapse, ended the first period in a 2-2 draw. The second period ramped up aggressively. With undisciplined penalties and debatable calls, the Bombers found themselves down 4-2 after two periods. Fired up entering the third, the Bombers scoring immediately and, with four minutes remaining, pulled their goalie on a Lions’ penalty for a 6-on-4 opportunity – all to have it nulled by a subsequent penalty called against the Bombers. The Lions quickly gained the upper hand with a quick follow-on goal and, with an empty net additional, the final score was a 6-3 loss for Greenwood. Corporal Tyler Happeney was Greenwood’s game MVIP.
In the Day 4 semi-final, the fourth-seeded Bombers re-matched against the first-seeded Petawawa Stags in a well-played game. While the Bombers trailed consistently throughout the game, in the third period, they tied it up 4-4 with three minutes remaining. The game went into a 10-minute, 5-5 sudden death overtime. The Bombers had a multitude of shots and out played the Stags but, after receiving a holding penalty, the ensuing Stags’ power play saw them score, eliminating the Bombers from further action.
The second semi-final game was between Valcartier and Esquimalt. This game also went into overtime, with the Lions defeating the Tritons to head into the championship game.
The final was a hard-fought battle between two talented teams. The Stags took a 5-2 lead into the third period when, with approximately six minutes remaining, the Lions stormed back with two quick goals to bring the deficit to one. An ensuing penalty from the Stags allowed the Lions to capitalize on a power play goal, evening the score. With 45 seconds left in the game, the Lions attacked and scored, solidifying yet another men’s national title for Valcartier.
Sailor First Class Michael Butt was 14 Wing’s overall tournament MVP at the tournament-ending awards event. 14 Wing Greenwood Fitness and Sports manager Matt Gillis was recognized for his role on the tournament’s jury of appeal. 14 Wing’s Warrant Officer Scott Moore officiated throughout the week, including during the final.
Following the awards, Josh Copeland, the general manager of the Wainwright Bisons Senior A hockey team, presented the Greenwood Bombers a memorial Wainwright Rustlers Senior AA hockey jersey to bring home to the Greenwood Gardens in remembrance of “Burnsie’s” hockey legacy, both with the Rustlers and the Bombers.
The 14 Wing Greenwood men’s hockey team sends a big thanks to all Personnel Support Staff here in Greenwood and in Wainwright, along with their staff, for supporting the team throughout the 2022/ 23 season and the national tournament.
Greenwood old timers’ turn on national ice this week
March 12 to 17, the “older” set of 14 Wing Greenwood hockey Bombers are in Esquimalt for the Canadian Armed Forces old timer men’s championship (although some of them are on both rosters!).
The Greenwood old timers won the Atlantic region championship in early February. Representing the other three regions are base teams from Kingston, Esquimalt and Ottawa.
Greenwood will first see action in Game 2 of the nationals, March 13 at 6 p.m. AST, meeting Ottawa at Wurtele Arena. They play Kingston Tuesday, March 14, in game 3, with a 1:30 p.m. AST start. Their final round robin game is Wednesday, March 15, at 6 p.m. AST against Esquimalt.
Semi-final 1, with the round robin’s 4th vs 1st place teams, is Thursday, March 16 at 1:30 p.m. AST; semi-final 2 goes at 6 p.m. AST. The final will go Friday, March 17, at 1 p.m. AST. The semi-finals and final will be streamed on the Canadian Armed Forces Sports’ Facebook and Youtube feeds (youtube.com/c/CAFSportsFAC).
Warrant Officer Jeff Hull leads the team as coach, and will pull double duty as a player; he’s joined on the bench by Warrant Officer David Jamieson as assistant coach. Team members include Major Michael Hiltz, Sergeant Mycael McGraw, Chief Warrant Officer Dave McDowell, Sergeant Jonathan Doyle, Master Warrant Officer Michael Pastuck, Warrant Officer Joel Brooks, Warrant Officer Donald Davis, Colonel Jeffrey Davis, Master Warrant Officer Andrew Amos, Warrant Officer Jimmy Rose, Chief Warrant Officer Trevor Porteous, Sergeant David Jenkins, Lieutenant Dave Dalby and Master Corporal Jeff Bond. Warrant Officer Wayne Belair, Gagetown, and Master Corporal Anthony Foster and Andrew Glessing, 12 Wing Shearwater, were also added to the roster. 14 Wing Master Warrant Officer Gregory Arsenault is also attending as a tournament official.
