Hat trick for Little NHL coach
Front row: Brek Morrow, Kacey Debassige, Billy Biederman, Isaac McLeod, Samuel Assinewai, Duke Barnaby
By Sam Laskaris
MISSISSAUGA — For the third straight year Shaun Assiniwai coached a team to a championship at the Little Native Hockey League Tournament.
Assiniwai led the Aundeck Omni Kaning (AOK) Eagles to the boys’ Atom title at this year’s event, which ran Mar. 13-17 at various Mississauga arenas.
The 43rd annual edition of the Little NHL tourney attracted a record 164 teams who competed in 10 categories.
The Eagles won all six of their contests in the division, which featured 16 teams. The AOK squad defeated the Chippewas of Rama 3-2 in the “A” Championship final.
Last year Assiniwai had coached a Novice squad from M’Chigeeng First Nation to a Little NHL title and the year before was the bench boss for a winning AOK Novice team.
“I just let the kids go out there and have fun,” says Assiniwai, adding there’s no secret to his recent coaching successes at this tournament.
Assisniwai’s Atoms consisted of 12 players, including five who live in the First Nation. The others were from neighbouring First Nations.
“They tend to get to know each other right away,” he says.
His 10-year-old son Samuel has been on his father’s championship squads in each of the past three years.
“I like going to play there,” he says of the tournament. “I get to meet more friends.”
The younger Assiniwai also plays for the Manitoulin Islanders, a Novice A squad. The Eagles’ roster also included four of his Islanders’ teammates. The AOK Atom champs also featured three players from Sudbury teams that usually compete against them.
The Eagles registered round-robin victories over Nipissing, Akwesasne and the Chippewas of the Thames. AOK then blanked Pic River 3-0 in its quarter-final match and earned a berth into the championship contest by downing Delaware 4-1.
Meanwhile, another Assiniwai was rather busy throughout the tournament. Marvin Assiniwai, Shaun’s father, is the president of the Little NHL.
The tournament grew once again, from last year’s previous high of 153 participating clubs.
“We’re pretty happy about that,” he says. “But it’s a lot more work when you have more teams there competing.”
Among familiar First Nation hockey legends who made special guest appearances at this year’s event were former NHL players Reggie Leach and Stan Jonathan. A Tyke team from Six Nations, hosts of the 2014 event, won a draw to have dinner with Buffalo Sabres’ coach Ted Nolan, an Ojibway from Garden River First Nation.
“Hockey Night in Canada” celebrity Don Cherry attended the tournament’s opening ceremonies.
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
TYKE – Oneida Young Guns 14 Garden River Braves 9
NOVICE – Akwesasne 7 Six Nations 0
ATOM GIRLS – Garden River Braves 8 Chippewas of the Thames 2
ATOM BOYS – AOK Eagles 3 Chippewas of Rama 2
PEE WEE GIRLS – Batchewana 4 Saugeen 0
PEE WEE BOYS – Six Nations Black Hawks 2 Six Nations Iron Men 1
BANTAM GIRLS – Nipissing 2 CMO 1
BANTAM BOYS – Six Nations Black Hawks 6 Batchewana 2
MIDGET GIRLS – Whitefish River 2 Moose Cree 1
MIDGET BOYS – Nipissing 2 Aamjiwnaang 1
Most Sportsmanlike Team: Whitefish River Tykes