Viva Las Vegas for local hockey players
Courtesy Eastern Rattlesnakes
While they may have been in the desert environment of Nevada at the beginning of July, local youths Briella Kirby and Addison Kane were keeping cool on the ice, taking part in the Queens of Vegas elite hockey tournament in Las Vegas with the 2015 Eastern Rattlesnakes.
The Rattlesnakes, made up of U11 girls from Eastern Canada, went 3-3 during the initial portion of the tournament, before losing in the quarterfinals to one of the eventual tournament finalists, the 2015 MN Machine.
“It’s just a great experience because the hockey is very elite,” said Brianne Alfred, Kirby’s mother.
“They played teams from Minnesota to DC to Alberta; there are teams from all over. It’s pretty cool to see all these elite athletes come together at one tournament.”
Kirby said she had a great time playing in the tournament, making new friends and playing hard on the ice.
She said some of her favourite moments during the tournament were the two goals she scored, as well as assisting on her teammates’ goals - passing them the puck en route to the net, or right by the net to set up an easy goal.
Getting to be on the same team as Kane, her cousin she has played hockey with since she first started in the sport, was also a big plus.
“It was really cool, and the tournament was more fun because we are cousins and we travelled together,” said Kirby.
For Kane, she too enjoyed developing friendships with her teammates, as well as getting to visit a city she had never been to before.
“I loved Las Vegas, and I never travelled that far for hockey before,” said Kane.
“It was really fun and a good experience.”
Kane plays defense, and Alfred said she was solid all tournament.
Both liked the competition aspect, too, with Kane saying she enjoyed playing the tough games while in Vegas.
Some of the games took place in the practice facility of the NHL’s Las Vegas Golden Knights, another highlight for the girls.
Of course, they got to see some of the sights, too. That included a trip to the Las Vegas strip, shopping, and a visit to the Grand Canyon, all done together as a team.
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Kirby highlighted one thing that stood out to her at the Grand Canyon: the Eagle Rock Formation at the Eagle Point Lookout, a rock formation famous for looking like an eagle spreading its wings and flying towards those who look at it.
Both players were named Player of the Game for the Rattlesnakes in the tournament, with Kane getting the honour in their quarterfinals loss while Kirby did so in their 6-1 win over the 2015 Illinois Selects.
“I felt happy and excited. I played a good game,” said Kane.
“I felt really honoured that I was chosen, because there were a lot of other girls who played well that game,” said Kirby.
