The Metro Boston Pizza midget girls hockey team is hoping to come home from the national championships in Saskatchewan with something no Atlantic Canadian team has ever been able to win at the tournament — a medal.
"We have our eyes set on playing hockey on Saturday, " said coach J.R. Letourneau.
Next Saturday is when the tournament's medal games will be played.
The team had a tough battle to win the Nova Scotia championships. They fell behind in their league final against the East Hants Penguins, but won games four and five to win a tight series 3-2.
They then posted four straight shutouts at the Atlantic Championships on Prince Edward Island to punch their ticket to the Esso Cup in Saskatoon.
Finished 4th in 2012
"We're all very excited because this has been our goal all year, " said team captain Rachel Dorey, a Grade 12 student at Halifax West High School. "To get to go to Saskatchewan and compete, it's going to be a very cool experience."
The Boston Pizza team has represented Nova Scotia twice before and finished fourth in 2012, the best ever showing by an Atlantic team at the tournament.
Most of the team is from the Halifax area but there are also players from Kentville, Berwick, Digby and Lunenburg.
They will be up against very tough competition from teams representing the Quebec, Ontario, West and Pacific regions.
The host team from Weyburn, Sask., will be tough as well — they won the nationals two years ago.
Good attitude
"We are just going to stick to our game plan and work as a team, " said Dorey. "We're going there to represent Nova Scotia as best we can so we are going into it with a good attitude and try to come back with a medal."
Boston Pizza plays their first game of the tournament on Sunday afternoon against the Quebec champions, Express du Richelieu.
Ally Garber
Timsplosion