By Matt Nemeth

Avalanche running over competition on ice

Dec 22, 2016 | 10:58 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — When your team is winning, life feels a lot more fun, and a local ringette team knows the feeling all too well.

Medicine Hat’s U19-B Avalanche team is on a tear through league play in the season, only losing one game out of 10 played, enough for first place in the division.

While the team is not the biggest in the league, their skill is helping them pile up the wins.

“I think we’re small, but we’re a good skating team,” said head coach Dieter Stanke. “We’ve got a great deal of speed and the girls pass the ring quite well, and we use the pressure quite a bit, so they back-check and fore-check well.”

This past Saturday, the Avalanche were pressuring another top team in the league, the Calgary Northwest Surge.

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The Surge had not lost a league game all season, until they were swept by the Avalanche in back-to-back games.

“It was good because it was a challenge and we all like a challenge,” said forward Courtney Stock. “I mean, we’ve been winning so much — and I’m not saying it has been easy against the other teams — but it was nice to have a challenging game that helped us get better and grow as a team.”

When it comes to the team’s success, Stock says the team’s chemistry has been a big factor.

“We communicate, we put lots of effort and we know how to play as a team” she said. “We have amazing coaches to coach us along the way and we all get along and encourage each other, so that helps.”

Jensen Wilke, a defenceman for the team, says the Avalanche have been on the same page since the season began, which helped them get to where they are now.

“We always know how each other plays, so we just kind of jell together and it makes us successful,” she said.

But just getting along and jelling together doesn’t get you to the top of the standings on your own. Head coach Dieter Stanke says the team also possess a key ingredient to become successful.

“They’re all working hard, they’re helping each other our and supporting each other,” he said. “I think that’s the big thing.”

With a hot start to the season under their belts, the Avalanche are setting their sights high this year.

“I’m really pumped provincials will be coming up soon, and I feel like we have a really good chance,” said Wilke.

Other teams that come across the Avalanche from now until provincials may not share the same enthusiasm.