Trackers earn bronze at BC Hockey Championships

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The Northeast B.C. under-15 Trackers earned bronze while hosting the U15 Tier 1 BC Hockey Championships at the North Peace Arena this week. 

Teams travelled from all over the province to participate in the tournament, which Trackers head coach Ray Taggart said his team was fortunate to be able to host. 

“It’s a pretty special experience to be able to host the [championships], you’re lucky if it happens,” said Taggart. “So, hosting it in your town is a very cool experience.”

The Trackers had a strong start in the championships, defeating the East Kootenay Avalanche 7-3 in their opening game on Sunday night. 

On Monday, the Trackers found success again, coming out of their game against the North Central Bobcats with an 8-1 win.

Tuesday night’s close call of a game resulted in a 3-2 loss against the Vancouver Thunderbirds. 

The Trackers headed into the semi-finals on Wednesday morning against the Central Zone Okanagan Rockets. Despite outshooting the Rockets 28-18, the game resulted in a 4-3 loss. 

Although bronze is “not the medal they were playing for,” Taggart is proud of his team’s performance.

“We thought we had a shot to win it all, but I am very proud of how the team bounced back after the semi-final loss,” said Taggart. “They’re very resilient.” 

The championships mark the end of a successful season for the Trackers, who will hang up the skates until later this year. The Trackers went undefeated during the 2022/23 regular season with a 31-0-1 record.