They skate-till-they-drop, forecheck like crazy and score goals in bunches.
The Watkin Motors Mustangs used those traits and much more to pull off a three-peat in the 47th annual Coca-Cola Classic Invitational Pee Wee Hockey Tournament.
Linemates Deagan McMillan and Erik Pastro each recorded hat tricks as Vernon stopped the Yellowknife Wolfpack 9-5 in the Amy Myles Memorial A Event of the eight-team extravaganza Sunday night at soon-to-be-demolished Civic Arena.
It marked the second time Vernon has posted a three-peat. The Mustangs of 2008 won a third straight tournament and had 10 players move on to play Junior or Major Junior, including Curtis Lazar, Cole Sanford, Brett Jewell, Jordan Burns and Alex Gillies. Vernon has won the Coke Classic nine times.
“This feels great to win it again for the third time in a row,” said Mustangs’ captain Cosmo Wilson, in between hugging teammates and taking photos with the championship trophy. “We played well as a team today like we did all tournament. They (Wolfpack) were pretty good. They had a couple of really good players and they battled hard.”
Ryder DeNys, Zac Milne and JJ Milne, with a nifty deke on a penalty shot, completed the Vernon offence. Wilson counted four assists.
Alex Cordero, with three snipes, Emery Golchert, with a deuce and captain Drew MacKinnon replied for the Wolfpack, who earlier this season won a Victoria tournament and placed second in Jasper.
“I thought we had a slow start, but we kind of crept back but they took it away, ” said MacKinnon, 12. “They’re relentless; they never stop.”
McMillan, who rang up six goals in a Friday night 8-7 win over the Coquitlam Chiefs, said the Mustangs did a lot well Sunday.
“We were getting pucks deep and we buried our chances and we had quick shifts,” said McMillan, a 13-year-old Grade 7 Silver Star student with a wicked Alex Ovechkin-like shot. “I watched Yellowknife a couple of times and I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.”
Wilson, a 13-year-old in Grade 7 at BX Elementary, feels the Okanagan Mainline Tier 2 league-leading Mustangs can find another gear.
“This definitely gets us ready for the playoffs,” said the towering defenceman. “I think we can go harder.”
JJ Milne pocketed four goals as Watkin Motors shelled the South Delta Storm 9-3 in semifinal play Saturday afternoon. Pastro, McMillan, DeNys, Zac Milne and Theo Van Wyk produced singles. Wilson garnered three helpers and Atom-ager Hudson Kibblewhite two.
Grady Lenton (2) and Jamison Sluys countered for South Delta.
Yellowknife got two goals apiece from Cordero and Matthew Gillard as they iced Coquitlam 8-5 in the other semi. Tait Humphries netted a deuce for Coquitlam.
Jamie Sluys provided 3+3 as South Delta dispatched Coquitlam 8-6 in the Alex Kuly Memorial B Event final Sunday.
The Edmonton Knights of Columbus Lancers clipped the San Diego Saints 3-2 in the Mickey McMahon Memorial C Event final, while the Calgary Warriors ambushed the Sherwood Park Aces 7-2 in the Mickey Ogasawara Memorial D Event final.