Two members of the Cold Lake Ice were rewarded for the exceptional work they've put in over the course of the season.
At their March 4 game, Ice head coach Scott Hood was presented with the NEAJBHL Coach of the Year award and veteran forward Mike Harbich was named a second team all-star.
“It's a nice honour. It's just a reflection of what we've done here. I've got some great assistant coaches in Shawn Coles and Ron Trembley and from our training staff to people that just help out, we've changed the face of this organization,” said Hood.
The 2015/'16 season marked Hood's first year with the Cold Lake Ice. Stepping into the role of head coach, Hood was faced with the task of bringing in a number of new players to blend with returning veterans.
While they didn't get off to a great start, hovering between seventh and eighth spot, Hood lead the team to end the regular season with 42 points and finish in fourth spot in the league.
“What we saw with Cold Lake is they got off to a little bit of a slow start and anytime you have a new guys taking over there is a little bit of a transition. When it came to after Christmas, they really picked it up. All year they played with lots of discipline, they were a steadily improving team,” NEAJBHL commissioner Ted Graling said, adding that it's not often first-year coaches receive the award.
Graling added, “We just thought from the beginning of October to the end of January when we finalized the votes, he had done a pretty good job. He was a really good to deal with and we're hoping things only get better for him.”
As his first season with the Ice came to a close last week, Hood expressed that he's hoping to remain with the team next year and continue to grow the local Jr. B franchise.
Hood wasn't the only member of the Cold Lake Ice to receive accolades. Veteran forward Mike Harbich was named a second team all-star.
“It's a great personal achievement,” said Harbich. “It's going to be tough to leave here. It's been a great three seasons here, I've had a lot of fund and have relationships that will probably last a lifetime now...My years with the Ice were great.”
In 36 regular season games, Harbich picked up 52 points with 30 goals and 22 assists. In his final season with the Ice, of those 30 goals he notched two game-winning goals, seven came on the power play and four short-handed.
Harbich followed up his regular season performance with 14 points in nine playoff games – three goals and 11 assists.
“He was a work horse for us all year. He came to play every night, night in night out, he knows what it takes and he's a guy I'd take on my team any time,” said Hood.
After three seasons with the Cold Lake Ice, Harbich will hanging up his No. 19 as the 21-year-old says goodbye to his career in Jr. B.
“I've got to see if I can make a jump to the next level and I'll always remember my years in the Cold Lake Ice, that's for sure.”
