The Cold Lake Ice have had quite the year in 2015, becoming five-time league champions and undergoing numerous changes on and off the ice.
After coaching change, which saw former head coach Paul Desjardins take a spot behind the bench again, the Ice proved they could keep their mind on the game. Setting a two-year record for attendance with 1,200 fans in Imperial Oil Place arena, the Ice battled hard against the rival Wainwright Bisons in Game 6 of their playoff series on Mar. 27.
Bolton Pouliot, a former Western Hockey League (WHL) goaltender, was in net for the Ice. Pouliot joined the team at the start of 2014-'15 playoffs.
Wainwright didn't let the Ice have the runaway win they were used to, bringing the score to within one-goal. With a championship streak on the line, Cold Lake fought hard, securing the win with a goal in the final minute of the game. The Cold Lake won their fifth straight NEAJBHL championship in front of a home crowd with a final score of 4-2.
“She was a roller coaster ride, but I thought we came together as a team and we found what we needed to find to get that fifth championship,” said then-captain Chad Shultheiss following the win.
Hoisting the league cup wasn't the end of their season, though, as the Ice went on to compete in the Jr. B Provincials in Stony Plain in April. Up against the best Jr. B teams in Alberta, the Ice struggled to come together. Losing 9-3 to the North Peace Navigators in their first game of the tournament, followed by a 2-1 loss to the Stony Plain Flyers and tying the Blackfalds Wranglers 2-2 in their third game, the Ice made an early exit from provincials.
Despite their disappointment at provincials, the Ice got right into preparing for their next major tournament – the Keystone Cup. Featuring Jr. B teams from Northern Ontario to British Columbia, the Cold Lake Ice hosted the premier four-day tournament.
Unfortunately, the Ice ended their season with one win, one tie and three losses out of their five-game tournament run.
The off-season brought more uncertainty for the league champions. Just a day after the Keystone's completion, on Apr. 20 Desjardins announced he would be stepping down as the head coach of the Cold Lake Jr. B Ice. Desjardins would give no explanation for the reasoning behind his decision.
It wasn't the first signs of change for the local team. Near the end of the playoffs, Cory Broadhead made his exit from the Ice executive, making way for a new VP of Hockey Operations, Les Wilson.
“I was working with the (Cold Lake Ice) board (of directors) because of the Keystone Cup. There were some challenges with the hockey operations and I was asked if I could step in and help, so I assumed the role of VP of Hockey Operations,” explained Wilson at the time.
Following a couple months of searching, in June Scott Hood was named as the new head coach for the Cold Lake Ice. A former player himself, Hood had won four league championships, two provincial titles and three Allen Cups during his time on the ice. Hood brought with him assistant coaches Shawn Coles and Ron Tremblay to complete the 2015-'16 coaching staff.
Losing a number of players over the summer, the new coaching staff had the task of bringing together a team with a mix of veterans and rookies. Halfway through the 2015-'16 season, heading into the Christmas break the Ice were sitting at the middle of the pack in fifth spot in the NEAJBHL standings with 25-points.
So far, this season has been full of ups and downs for the young team. Sitting down in eighth at the beginning of the season, their away games have been Cold Lake's downfall. On home ice, their record is a respectable 8-4-2. However, on the road, the Ice have only won three out of their 12 away games so far.
Hoping for a fresh start in the New Year, Hood said he's ready to make some changes with the team if need be, to get them back on track.
“I believed in this group since day one and it's not working right now. I'm going to go out and try and find four guys to fill my cards and try and get rid of some of their buddies sitting next to them. I want players that want to win and want to be here,” said Hood, following their final weekend of games in 2015.
The Ice will be back in action during the second half of the 2015-'16 season on Jan. 9, where they'll be taking on the Vegreville Rangers. Puck drop is 8 p.m. at the Energy Centre.
