Stan Butler (back row, third from right) shows some major enthusiasm after Team Canada won gold at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup last weekend. PHOTO COURTESY HOCKEY CANADA.
Story by Chris Dawson
North Bay Battalion coach Stan Butler is back home and weary after an exciting couple of weeks with Team Canada. It ended with a golden moment for the Troops skipper as Canada defeated the Swede’s 7-3 in the final of the Ivan Hlinka Under-18 Memorial Cup which wrapped up on Saturday in the Czech Republic.
See the Saturday's game story here: http://www.baytoday.ca/content/sports/details.asp?c=82592
“It went exactly the way we wanted it, we won the gold medal, that’s what we went there for. I think in a short term competition you have to get better every day and that’s what we did we played our best game the last game which was important,” said Butler to the media on Monday afternoon at Memorial Gardens.
Butler shared the golden moment with Battalion forward Zach Poirier who finished with 1 assist during the five games where Canada was unbeaten.
“It was great for Zach, he was our 13th forward, he played about three shifts per period, he was in a tough position but he handled it well and when we ran into injuries he played on our top line with Nolan Patrick and Tyler Benson,” said Butler about Poirier’s role.
“He did a really good job with that, so when he played he played well, he was in a tough spot but he was playing with the best players in Canada and to make that team in itself is an accomplishment. There was a lot of great players that we had to release from that team that would have been good as well.”
It was the first Hockey Canada experience for Butler in the past 16 years, having last coached Team Canada back in 1999. He felt the highlight of the tournament was the 2-1 shootout victory over the Russians, where Nolan Patrick scored the game winner in the shootout and Petes goalie Dylan Wells shut the door on the Russians.
“That was a very tough game because we dominated the game and the Russian goalie was lights out, he reminded me of Jake Smith, he was a smaller guy that found a way to stop pucks, whether it was his head or ankle, ear it didn’t matter what it was, and for Dylan to make that save and allow us the chance to play in the championship game,” said Butler.
“That was obviously the toughest game for us and that was the team that won the World Under 17 Challenge so that was a big win for us and other than the score we really dominated the game.”
Dineen performance
While Butler and Poirier captured gold, another Battalion player, Cameron Dineen, played on a USA team that struggled to a 5th place finish. With Canada in a different pool than the US, Butler says he didn’t see much of his American prospect.
“I saw Dineen play only in the five versus six game against the Czech’s and I believe he got a couple points, he’s on the power play, he played well,” said Butler.
“Again I think he will be a good player for us here and the experience he got at that tournament will help as well.”
Hockey School Focus
Butler would not comment on whether or not the win puts him near the top of the list to coach a Canadian World Junior Team in the future; instead he brushed the question off to say he’s focussing on the 2nd Annual Battalion Hockey School.
“Right now I’m actually getting ready for the Battalion hockey school next week and trying to fill that school,” he said.
Butler noted that there are still one spot available in each of the three age groups in the North Bay Battalion Hockey School which is an all day camp which starts next Monday.
Details here:http://www.baytoday.ca/content/sports/details.asp?c=81969
The Battalion also have two boys elite spots and three elite girls spots available for their Elite Conditioning Camp.
Details here: http://www.baytoday.ca/content/sports/details.asp?c=82486
