Bottineau is back!
Braves break 17-year state tournament droughtBy CHRIS BIERI Sports Editor cbieri@minotdailynews.com
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Instead of making the annual trip to Hazen to the preseason jamboree, the Bottineau boys hockey team started a new tradition at the beginning of the 2009-10 season.
The Braves traveled to practice at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks with plans on making a return trip in February.
Bottineau punched its ticket for that return trip Saturday with a 4-3 win over Mandan at the West Region Hockey Tournament at All Seasons Arena.
The state tournament berth will be the first for the Braves since 1993, breaking a 17-year drought.
"We skipped the region scrimmage in Hazen and bought ice time at Engelstad Arena," Braves head coach David Hoff said. "The last thing I told them is that we paid for the last trip there, but we want to earn our next trip."
Senior forward Myles Brooks got the game winner for the Braves at 9:43 of the third, getting around the corner on the right side and lifting a wrist shot past Mandan goalie Nick Helmers.
"I missed a couple during the game," Brooks said. "He goes down a lot and I was like I can't miss this so I just shot it top shelf. I saw it was open. It was awesome. I don't know. I was like, now all we have to do is finish the game."
But the final few minutes weren't without drama for Brooks and the Braves. Brooks was whistled for a boarding penalty with 1:55 remaining and the Braves had to seal the win shorthanded.
Hoff said the win was huge for the Bottineau program
"It's huge, people are congratulating me, but it's not about me," Hoff said. "It's about these kids. That's what high school sports is. To go in the locker room and see all the hugging. I've always told them something is more satisfying when you have to work for it. (A score of) 5-2 would have been great, but it's really satisfying."
Senior Dana Hall notched two goals for the Braves and senior Trenton Metcalfe added a goal, giving the Braves strong contributions from their senior class. Hoff said the West Region games were especially valuable to Bottineau's underclassmen.
"This experience is just incredible," Hoff said. "It's going to pay off for some of these kids next year, but we're playing for now right now."
Brooks said the trip to Engelstad motivated the Braves players to get back and play a game in the arena.
"That was so much fun," Brooks said. "It gave us perspective of how good it can be. It's so awesome to be able to actually play there."
The Braves will play east power Grand Forks Central in the opening round at state.
