The Greater Vancouver Canadians turned in a strong showing at the Macs Tournament in Calgary and didn't have to wait long to see how they stacked up against the eventual champion.
The B.C. Major Midget Hockey League club reached the quarter-finals of the prestigous 25-team event before falling 54 to the Carolina Junior Hurricanes. It was then just a few days off before resuming its regular season schedule against the high flying Vancouver Northwest Giants.
Not only did the defending BCMMHL champions own a 20-2-2 first place record, they captured the Macs tourney for the second time in three years with a 32 victory over Carolina.
The Canadians didn't have an answer to slow down the Giants' momentum, falling 7-3 last Saturday in Burnaby, then dropping a 4-2 decision Sunday at the Richmond Olympic Oval.
Greater Vancouver was at least much more competitive in game two, as the Giants broke a 2-2 deadlock in the late stages of the second period, before adding an insurance marker at the 4: 50 mark of the third. Andrew Klukas and Glenn Gawdin scored for the Canadians who dropped to 12-10-2 on the season.
Next up is a weekend home series against the Valley West Hawks with start times at the Olympic Oval being 8: 15 p.m. and 10 a.m.
After opening the Macs tournament with a 3-2 loss to Saskatchewan's Battleford Stars on Boxing Day, Greater Vancouver rallied with three straight wins to capture its round-robin group, highlighted by a 4-3 triumph over the previously undefeated St. Albert Raiders in the final preliminary game.
The BCMMHL made quite a statement in Calgary as three B.C. teams reached the final eight, with the Cariboo Cougars joining the Giants and the Canadians.
