In between games of the 47th annual Coca-Cola Classic Invitational Pee Wee Hockey Tournament, San Diego Saints’ goalie Nick Cowen grabs his cell phone and contacts his U.S. Military dad, Chris, via Face Time.
“He’s in Iraq right now,” said the polite and soft-spoken Cowen, co-captain with Ethan Overman. “He’s been gone for about seven months, He’ll be back in a couple of months. This is one of his shortest deployments.”
Nick, whose mom, Vera, stayed back in California with his two younger brothers, is without family here but having a blast with his teammates and coaches.
“This is my first time to Canada and it’s awesome here,” said Nick, who was born Feb. 2, 2005, or “Groundhog Day” as he explained. “The cold doesn’t bother me and the hockey is good. We lost our first two games, but we’re not done.”
The Saints lost a 4-3 overtime thriller to the Edmonton Knights of Columbus Lancers after Cowen’s media interview.
Cowen, a seventh-grader who is sponsored by the Saints, wears No. 70 because he cheers for Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals. Nick only took up ice hockey a few years ago.
“I played street hockey for a long time when I was younger. We always fought over who played goal which is kind of the opposite of what usually happens. We started out using a left stick and a baseball glove and then our parents got scared we would get hurt and they bought us street hockey equipment.”
An acrobatic net detective, Cowen used to patrol the outfield in baseball but now focuses solely on hockey.
San Diego head coach Josh Robinson, 36, is a Spokane product who played minor hockey in Washington State before skating for Salem State University Vikings near Boston. He was an assistant coach with the Division 1 Bentley Falcons in Waltham, Mass., Division III Colby College Mules in Maine and the Division I UConn Huskies. He worked under head coach Jim Tortorella (NHL coach John’s brother) with the Mules.
“When I played in Spokane, we went all over the Central Interior of B.C. so this is like a homecoming for me. We have seven kids who have never been to Canada. I told them you’re not a hockey player until you come to Canada.”
A special education teacher at a middle school, the likable Robinson moved to San Diego five years ago and was approached to coach in the Saints’ program.
“I took sports management at Salem and then got my masters (in education) at the University of San Diego. I moved there with my dog, hockey gear and golf clubs and I love it. I accidentally fell into coaching. I was playing beer league and got asked by one of the guys if I wanted to coach. The parents of this team are absolutely phenomenal and the kids are fantastic.”
The Saints, whose home rink is in Carlsbad, about 30 miles north of San Diego, raised some travel funds with a Super Bowl square board last weekend and hold a golf tournament each November. The organization provides scholarships to players who require funding for equipment and team fees.
The Saints earlier this season ruled the Grizz Cup in Salt Lake City, defeating Montana in the final. They are in a league in the San Diego area.
Overman, Brock Devlin and Carter Grimes are the only three players who were around last year when the Saints won the Las Vegas Silver Sticks Regional Championships which qualified them for the International finals in Port Huron, Mich. as the Western regional winners.
The Saints have next weekend off so will be attending the American League game Saturday between the San Diego Gulls and the Ontario Reign. Vernon summer resident Leland Irving guards the crease for the Gulls, who also have ex-NHLers Eric Fehr and Jared Bol.
“They get 10,000 fans out when it’s $2 Bud Light Night, laughed Robinson.
The Saints took on the Calgary Northwest Warriors in a consolation side semifinal Saturday morning. The Warriors lost 12-11 Friday to the South Delta Storm, who faced the host Vernon Watkin Motors Mustangs in a championship semifinal Saturday afternoon.
Deagan McMillan scored six times and added an assist as the Mustangs edged the Coquitlam Chiefs 8-7 Friday night to go 3-0. Kyle Wheeler and Erik Pastro had the other goals for Vernon. Cole Kennett had three goals for the Chiefs, who played the Yellowknife Wolfpack in the other championship semi.
The tournament’s A Division final goes Sunday at 4:30 p.m. at the Vernon Civic Arena.