The captivating hockey love story between Quebec and the Ukraine Selects has come to an end, as they lost 2-1 against the Vermont Flames Academy Friday morning at the Quebec International Peewee Hockey Tournament in Quebec City.
Prior to the loss, hope was up all around.
With stoic determination, the Selects stepped out of their locker room and onto the ice to face off against the American team.
The stands of Quebec City’s Videotron centre were full of Ukrainian flags and cheering supporters.
“What these little guys live in their country is so tough to see. They need our support so we came,” said Kevin Caron, a Quebec City resident. “Even with the snowstorm outside, no matter what, we were going to be here.”
Viktoriya Kravchuk, a Ukrainian Quebecer, was in the stands as well.
“I see these little kids that are here to have fun, and they didn’t expect that. All of a sudden they are stars, they are proud. It’s all a mix of emotions. I just want to hug them,” Kravchuk said while clutching a giant Ukraine flag. “I know that the families there are watching every step, every move.”
The team was cobbled up together by Quebecer Sean Bérubé who said he spent $40,000 out of his own pocket to bring them to the international peewee tournament.
Bérubé wanted to help them forget the hardships of the war.
Once strangers, the team has become a family.
“They call me uncle Sean,” Bérubé confessed amid laughter. “I feel as if they’re my sons.”
Back on the ice, it was serious business.
The Flames lead 2-0 in the third period, when seconds before the final whistle, the Selects scored, but still fell short of their goal of advancing in the tournament.
In the locker room, players couldn’t hold back tears.
Disappointment ran deep for some of the teens who were hoping to win for their dads who are fighting in the war.
“I just lost this chance,” said player Zahar Kovalenko as his head hung low.
Oleksii Shkrabak shared his sadness. “Our team is now upset but we had fun all of this tournament,” Shkrabak said.
Coach Evgheniy Pysarenko understands their pain.
“They represented their country in this difficult situation. That is why they wanted to win so hard. We missed a couple of chances, and I don’t know, luck wasn’t on our side, unfortunately,” Pysarenko said. “But they fought until the end. And they didn’t give up. It’s great. Strong characters.
“They also represent the people who are fighting now.”
After the game, a Ukrainian flag was displayed on the ice with the name of one of the players’ fathers who died in combat and the name of another father who is currently fighting on the front lines.
The team is leaving Quebec on Monday, back to their sobering reality — but not without having won the hearts of an entire province and perhaps the world.
“Heart and courage, that’s what they’ve shown the world,” Caron said.
— with files from the Canadian Press
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