Ukraine Team Select’s run at the Quebec International Peewee Hockey Tournament ended with a 2-1 loss to Vermont Flames Academy at Videotron Centre on Friday.
Goal scorers Phillip Groeling and Kuba Pavlik staked Vermont to a 2-0 lead, before Oleksii Shkrabak answered for Ukraine late in the third period.
The Ukrainian team, consisting of 11- and 12-year-old refugees displaced by war in their home country, became the toast of the tournament after scoring a pair of victories in tournament’s Class AA division.
The squad defeated Team Romania Wolves 2-0 on Monday, in addition to handing the Boston Junior Bruins a 3-1 loss last Saturday. Following the victory over the Wolves, the team was hosted by the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, first at practice, then at their game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Ukrainian players got to sit on the Canadiens’ bench to take in the pre-game warmups and received fist bumps and pucks from players as they prepared for the game.
The Canadiens also presented a welcome video in the first period highlighting their path through the tournament. The Ukrainian team received an ovation from the Bell Centre crowd.