Haddow heads to Arnprior

Hey Greater Sudbury sports fans, it's time to lift the lid off the local scene and see what's cooking up.

Yours truly is going to the quaint town of Arnprior next week to cover the Sudbury Nickel Capital Wolves as they compete at the 2008 TELUS Cup.

The event is the national AAA midget hockey championship and features the best squads from across the country.

I will be there, in the heat of the battle along side of the boys from Sudbury, covering each game.

I will be filing game reports and feature stories from Arnprior about the team and players.
Everything will be on our award-winning website, NorthernLife.ca.

Fans, friends and family members alike can log onto our website for up-to-date stories and videos as the team tries to become the first AAA midget squad from Sudbury to win a national gold medal, and the first team from the Central Canadian Region since North Bay in 1984 to win gold.

It's a tall task to fulfill for the Sudbury boys.

I've been watching the team of 15-, 16-,17- and 18-year-olds all season long and, frankly, they never cease to amaze me.

The team was raked over the coals at the start of the season for going with two rookie, 15-year-old goalies in Christopher McDougall and Landon Noel.

Well, the critics have wilted away and buried themselves in their own pile of shame as McDougall and Noel have stepped up and provided the team with stellar goaltending all the way through to this national event.

Along the way, the team battled numerous devastating injuries to key players, but, to their credit, they stayed resilient and focused and won the GNML and the All-Ontario titles.

Leading up to the national championship, the Nickel Capital Wolves have only lost four games while winning 46 games.

Their success has lead to many people around town to get behind the youngsters and cheering them on as they continue their wild run in the realm of AAA midget hockey.

It's almost impossible not to cheer for these kids as they've worked hard at becoming a strong team with full accountability throughout the lineup.

Whether they win or lose at the national tournament is irrelevant. Well, alright, I admit it, I want them to win the title. Still, the fact they made it to the national championship is an accomplishment that will never, ever be taken away from them.

It's also going to be a personal challenge as I fill the roles of three people by writing stories, taking pictures and shooting videos. It can only make me a better reporter.

It's a rare feat to be in the national event and I believe the Nickel Capital Wolves can find another level and surprise some of these other top squads from around the country.

It's going to be interesting to see how Sudbury's style stacks up against styles and systems from other regions such as the always powerful Pacific, West and Quebec Regions - three regions that have won 23 out of the last 23 national crowns.

Imagine if Sudbury topples these powerhouses and brings the TELUS CUP back home for all of Sudbury to enjoy.
Only time will tell, but NorthernLife.ca, in the meantime, will tell the stories of this team from Arnprior.

Stay tuned, check NorthernLife.ca every day and cheer the boys on!