It was a feat no one expected them to accomplish and it hadn’t been done in 34 years.
The Montreal Canadiens Brick Team has won the most prestigious competition for nine- and 10-year-old hockey players in North America, the Brick Invitational Tournament.
And to top it off, they were undefeated.
“I was crying as soon as that last second went off, we all jumped off the bench, it was an awesome moment,” said Giacomo Giobbi, a left defenceman.
But it wasn’t an easy ride to the top.
“People never really believed in this province that we could do this,” said the team’s general manager, Dave Harroch.
Leading up to the big tournament in Edmonton, they suffered several losses.
Hard work and talent quickly turned things around.
“We figured it out, nothing mattered up until we went to Edmonton and went to the Brick,” said coach Eric Harroch.
Team captain Liam Tep set a new record for most points in a tournament.
He dethroned his hockey hero, Habs forward Cole Caufield, who set the record when he played in the 2010-2011 season.
“It’s kind of cool but it wasn’t my first goal,” Tep humbly said.
With the win comes a lot of perks, such as lots of attention.
“We’re like famous, pretty much,” giggled Jordan Lobe, who plays left wing. “Even when I went to Kelowna to visit my family, someone came up to me and said ‘hey congrats on your win’. It was very unexpected.”
Goalie Adamo Alessandrini is also enjoying his newfound fame. “It felt great. I felt like a real NHL player,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sascha Durdevic was unfazed. When asked if he expected people’s reactions, he said “yeah,” as he smiled and his teammates laughed.
And then there’s the champions’ ring, which is a little too big for them to wear — for now.
“I keep it in my room, I try not to dirty it at all,” said defenceman Giacomo Giobbi.
But what players say they will treasure the most is the memories they made along their journey.
“Probably the water slides,” said assistant captain Tyler Steinberg, who later admitted scoring the winning goal in overtime was also a highlight.
“Probably lifting the cup and shaving off Anthony’s beard,” said Lobe.
Coach Anthony D’Alessio had promised to shave his beard if they won.
Now their eyes are set on other prizes.
After all, those who play at the Brick are considered the future stars of the NHL.
“I feel more confident because I won the Brick,” said forward Justin Grégoire, who dreams of playing for the Montreal Canadiens.
So remember their names.
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