INNISFAIL - The Innisfail Midget A Flyers are at the top of their game this season, sitting in third place in the Central Alberta Hockey League (CAHL) standings.
The team recently returned as champs from a midget tournament Jan. 7 and 8 in Stettler.
The Flyers faced off against Stettler, Vegreville and St. Paul in the four-team tournament, beating Vegreville 8-0 in the semifinals and St. Paul 4-0 in the finals.
"Both of our goalies got shutouts that day," said head coach Dale Howe.
The winner of the tournament earned prize money, which the Midget A Flyers will use to purchase practice jerseys.
"We won both games (and) have enough money to buy practice jerseys. We can pass them on from midget team to midget team after that," said Howe.
The Midget A Flyers are one of two midget teams with Innisfail Minor Hockey this season. The Midget B Flyers are coached by Terry Stigings.
The Midget A Flyers are enjoying some success this season.
"We've played 15 games (including seven pre-season tier games) so far in CAHL and we've lost four," said Howe. "We're having a pretty good season. The boys are coming along; we got a young team.
"We're really trying to teach them to play as a group," he added.
The Midget A Flyers are a tier three team and currently sit in third spot out of eight teams in CAHL standings.
"We're 6-2-0 during the regular season," said Howe, adding there are six games remaining in the regular season.
He noted key strengths of his team, from both defensive and offensive players.
"Our defensive core (has been strong). The forwards have started to cycle down low and it will create a lot of offence that way," he said. "At this point our defensive squad has scored half our goals."
In addition to CAHL playoffs, the team is also preparing for provincial playdowns with hopes of winning zone four and going to provincials in Rocky Mountain House in March.
"Provincials are going to be hard. Our boys will be challenged but if we can shut (the other team) down they've got a good chance," he said, noting that provincial playdowns begin at the end of January.
Howe said his team has a good chance at the CAHL league title this year as well.
"Our goal is definitely to win it. We have some third-year players that have never won it," said Howe. "This is it for them and they've never won the league before. If they play well, they have an extremely good chance of winning it."
