As Drew Canada heads into his third game next week in the Wheelchair Hockey League, he is using each game to get him ready for the North American PowerHockey Tournament in Toronto next summer.
During the fall Canada plays as a Hornet but he changed jerseys when he was asked to join the Michigan Mustangs travel hockey team during the summer.
With the Mustangs he traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina in July to compete in the U.S. National PowerHockey Tournament and when they came back they brought back a souvenir ? the championship trophy.
‘It was awesome,? said Canada.
The Mustangs won the Carolina Power Hockey Invitational when they defeated the Minnesota Selects, 4-3, after pulling themselves up from a two point deficit.
‘It was so exciting,? said mom, Penny. ‘We have never been to one and didn’t know what to expect. They played in the RBC Center, which was a great venue to play in and it was just spectacular.?
Penny remembered the championship game was thrilling and exciting to the last second.
‘It was one of those games you didn’t want the clock to keep winding down because you needed more time,? she said. ‘It was fast paced, too.
‘One of my biggest concerns as a mom was last year one of the players went out on an ambulance and they said it was a very tough, totally different type of hockey than Drew’s other league.?
To her relief, no one got hurt and things didn’t get out of hand ? when the players got in trouble they went to the penalty box.
It was the Mustangs and WCHL’s first tournament championship since they started competing nationally in 2000.
Drew and each of his teammates scored at least one goal during the six game tournament.
Though Drew normally plays on defense, he filled in on offense and scored a goal against Carolina and had two assists.
Drew’s goal for the fall season is to help his team win a championship. His next game is against the Cobras on October 17 at Ward Presbyterian Church in Northville.
Until next week, Drew will enjoy watching his favorite football team ? Clarkston play their Homecoming game this Friday. He can be found on the sidelines cheering on his brother, Chris, and the rest of the team.