Women’s olympic hockey team teach Midget boys a lesson

As Olympic hockey fans sat in their seats enjoying the skillful play of the women’s Olympic hockey team two weeks ago, some Jasper hockey players were enjoying a different experience.

Several residents got the chance to play with, and against, the best women hockey players in the country.

The midget Jasper Bearcats team played a mixed scrimmage with the women on their last day in town, and three players got the chance to play in the exhibition game on Wednesday (Feb. 3) when the Hinton McDonald’s All-Stars showed up with a short bench due to injuries.

“It was pretty unreal. It gives you a whole perspective on how they play. It’s definitely a lot different without being able to hit, and how you have to adjust to their amazing passing and really good skating. Playing against them, it made me give more respect to women’s hockey and how good they actually are,” said Brandon MacDougall, captain of the Jasper Bearcats, who along with fellow teammates Travis Chorley and Jason Zaffino, played against them on Wednesday with the Hinton team.

Not being able to use the body was an adjustment MacDougall said all the players had to get used to, but he said both the players and the coaches were full of tips for the boys.

Team Canada’s assistant coach and former Vancouver Canucks defenseman Doug Lidster spoke to the boys before the scrimmage on Friday as well as during the game, giving them his perspective on the game and tips for the boys on how to play against the women.

Bearcats coach Dennis Zaffino said the boys laid back at first because of the no body checking rule, but when they realized the intensity and physicality the women used, they adapted and played much better.

“I think they were quite surprised with the intensity…the accuracy of their passing,” he said.

He said Lidster gave them some general tips on things that the team had been working on in practice, and plays that the Bearcats have worked on as well.

On the ice, MacDougall admitted to tiring quickly on Friday, but said it was good to be playing with the women.

“I was on a forward line with my friends... but the defense that were with us, they really helped with breaking out,” he said.

“Star forward Hailey Wickenheiser was really good in warm-up and gave us a few pointers,” he said. “She helped us and told us what to do. She was great.”

Because the women don’t body check, the team uses their sticks to break up plays and tie up players, which impressed MacDougall.

“They were kind of showing us how they use their stick to tie you up without getting a penalty. They were giving me pointers on that, and they also encouraged shorter shifts, too,” he said, adding that they like the short shifts to keep their tempo up.

As for the goalies, MacDougall said he couldn’t put a puck past them on Friday (or Wednesday), but got an assist  on one of the goals the women scored.

For MacDougall and the boys, playing with the Olympic women has peaked his interest in women’s hockey and was an experience he’ll never forget.

“I didn’t even know who won the gold medal at the last Olympics. So I’m a lot more focused on the girls hockey now, and because we played with them, it’s pretty cool,” he said.