Winterhawks players share favorite hockey memories ahead of Kids Day Game
The Portland Winterhawks are hosting their second-annual Kids’ Day Game presented by SeaBee Construction on Monday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. against the Kamloops Blazers. In addition to the educational element for kids to enjoy on the concourse and during the game, this special afternoon is all about families and sharing memories at the rink.
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For Winterhawks players, it’s also an opportunity to reflect on their own memories on the ice. Despite being quite young themselves, these athletes have come a long way from Timbits and rink rats hockey, and a handful of Hawks enjoyed a look back at some of their favorite moments in the game they love.
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LUCA CAGNONI: “My memory is when I was in peewee, me and my team went to the biggest peewee hockey tournament in the world in Quebec. This is important to me because my whole family was there to support me and we could enjoy the moment together. It was also my first time playing on the world stage, having thousands of fans watching every game. This moment affected me because we got to play against some of the best players in our age group and it showed where I needed to be if I wanted to develop and be the best player I could be.”
JAN ŠPUNAR: “My favorite hockey memory is when we were at the country hockey tournaments. I had a lot of fun with my friends and many memorable experiences. In the bronze medal game, we lost to Marek Alscher’s team. Even an enemy can become a friend.”
JOSH DAVIES: “My favorite hockey memory is getting invited to play in the U-18 World Championships for Team Canada. It’s always a huge milestone and accomplishment to represent your country and it’s something I’ve dreamed of since being a little kid. That moment shows a little bit of the sacrifice my family has put forth to me to accomplish my dreams. It put me in the right direction for the NHL Draft and to further my hockey career. I want to be an idol for the next generation.
GABE KLASSEN: “My favorite memory growing up is all the hours I spent on the backyard rink at home in Prince Albert. This is the place I learned how to skate! I loved spending time here with my friends and my sister would even lace up her skates. I spent hours out there by myself and with my dad and I really developed my passion for hockey on the backyard rink. It affects me today because it gave me my start in hockey and I wouldn’t be here today if I didn’t have that rink growing up. I think about it every time I go home and it brings back all of these amazing memories.”
JACK O’BRIEN: “My favorite memory was winning the 2018-19 USA Hockey National Championship. It’s important to me because it was the championship that deemed my team as the best team in the United States. It affects me today because it showed me what it took to win and what it felt like. That’s what we’re trying to do here with the Hawks.”
CARTER SOTHERAN: “My favorite memory was being in a photoshoot with Jacob Trouba for Sherwood Hockey brand. It’s important to me because I met someone I looked up to as a kid and it pushed me to want to be where he was. It was one of the coolest moments as a kid growing up. It’s definitely helped me get to where I am today just being with him for a few days. People also see the pictures of us from time to time and send me pictures which is pretty funny.”
JUSTEN MARIC: “My favorite memory is playing street hockey with my friends. This is a good memory for me because that’s where I enhanced my love for hockey and had the most fun. I also created great friends while playing and met great people. To this day, I still talk to a few of those buddies and we can talk about whatever we feel.”
JOSH MORI: “I loved watching the (Vancouver) Canucks and Dan Hamhuis for the first time. That’s why I love #2. I remember watching the Canucks and being so excited to see pro hockey players. I remember the feeling of wanting to go on the ice and trying everything they did and to just go out and enjoy playing. I’d watch Hamhuis, a left defenseman like me, and got super excited watching him all night and trying to play like him. It pushes me to get to that level and hopefully inspire kids like myself when I was younger.”
MARCUS NGUYEN: “My favorite hockey memory growing up as a kid was when my Bantam AAA team won a tournament in Kamloops. It was the first time I’ve been a part of a team that’s won a tournament and looking back, it’s something that showed me what winning really is and how it feels to be a winner. It was so fun and relieving to know that you and your teammates’ hard work paid off with some success.”
TYSON YAREMKO: “My favorite memory is going to Minnesota for spring AAA hockey. This was one of the biggest tournaments I’ve ever played in. It was called The Show. I was probably around 12 years old and I think playing in high standards like that for most of my hockey is a good thing. It prepared me to know how to act on and off the ice. It was a once-in-a-lifetime moment to go there.”
KYLE CHYZOWSKI: “My favorite hockey memory is when I was 10 years old and me and my brother flew out to our grandparents’ house in Edmonton. We went to our first outdoor rink and probably spend 20 hours on the rink in five days. That was the most fun I ever had playing shinny and it was so important to experience that and create a core memory. It still affects me today because it is what made me become so passionate about hockey and how I got the love of the game.”
TYSON JUGNAUTH: “My favorite hockey memory was winning the 32-team Regina peewee tournament. It was my last year of playing with my friends from home and we were major underdogs and not expected to win. It’s important because I loved playing with my hometown friends and it was a good memory to win a final tournament together. Even to this day we still talk about it because we were all happy that we ended playing together with a win.”
RYDER THOMPSON: “My favorite hockey memory before becoming a Winterhawk is when my minor hockey team would host the provincial tournament. It included about eight teams, four in each pool, before crossing into the quarterfinals. It was a big deal to our team and community and it brought us all together, making it that much more important. Our team never had enough players to host tryouts and only had two full lines of players, going up against city teams with a lot more players. We always wanted to prove just how good a small town team could be. We won it twice; back-to-back years. It affects me today because it’s something me and my childhood friends still reflect on to this day and cherish. I love going back home and watching how much the minor hockey program has grown and how the community comes together for the love of the game.”
NICK AVAKYAN: “My favorite hockey memory was traveling to play tournaments overseas in France and Spain. It’s important because I made new friendships and some are on my team right now. It made me realize how important it is to meet new people and build connections with others.”
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