The celebrating started on the ice, continued into the dressing room, then onto the bus and did not stop until the team reached Bonnyville.
Players and coaches of the Cold Lake Jr. B Ice took it all in as they claimed victory recently in Lloydminster and were crowned the 2010-11 North Eastern Alberta Jr. B Hockey League champions.
"It's really hard to explain how good this feels, because it feels so good," said Cold Lake Ice forward and Bonnyville resident Niko Bourget, after winning the first championship for both the Ice franchise and himself.
"It's a once in a lifetime feeling."
The Ice ran the table this season, holding the top spot in the league from start to finish. Cold Lake lost only two games in the regular season and went 11-0 in the playoffs, beating second place rival Lloydminster Bandits in four straight games.
Lloydminster's arena was a gracious host, allowing the Ice to celebrate the win and get a little rowdy in the dressing room, said Ice head coach Paul Desjardins. But when it was time to hit the road, the party did not stop.
"There was quite the celebration going on in the room," he explained. "After that we got on the bus and the celebrating continued all the way to Bonnyville ... I only got about an hour of sleep, but it was all worth it."
For the full story, see next Tuesday's Nouvelle.
