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18 - The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday December 29, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com RON KUZYK / OAKVILLE BEAVER BREAKING IN: England's J.J. Pitchley (in red) splits a pair of Ancaster defenders during yesterday's minor bantam AA game at the Richard Bell Memorial Minor Hockey Tournament. The English team lost 3-1 to the Avalanche. England to play other Ontario teams Continued from page 17 the Toronto IceDogs (3:15 p.m. at Ice Sports) and Oakville Rangers (7:45 p.m. at Ice Sports). Following this week's tournament, the English team will travel to Barrie, Newmarket, Ajax, Pickering and Chatham for exhibition games. The players also hope to take in a Toronto Maple Leafs or Toronto Marlboros contest before heading back home Jan. 4. England posted a 1-2-1 record last year at the Richard Bell tournament, competing in the minor bantam AAA division. Tired Norwegians start strong By Kristina Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF known as a hockey power, but Roeymark says interest is on the rise in Norway. "I think it's growing, and there's great interIt was the middle of the night back in est in the top league," he said. "In a few years, Norway when the Manglerud Star took the we hope to be top 10, top 12 in the world." Joshua's Creek Arenas ice Friday to play its first Bekken compared the popularity of hockey game of the Richard Bell Memorial Minor back home to soccer in Canada. Hockey Tournament. "It's not very big," he said, adding he began The players had traveled for 20 hours. They'd playing "because a friend plays." slept less than five hours since "It's cool to go fast on skates "Our coach said leaving from Oslo the day before. and to tackle," he said, smiling. Despite the jetlag, the to tackle a lot, The Manglerud Star is Norway's Norwegian minor midget A team because he thought best midget-aged team, having got off to a quick start, downing won the national championship Canadians would the Hamilton Cyclones 4-1 in an last season. effort that saw the Cyclones score tackle a lot, but "We have a lot of good skaters," their only goal on a power play they were wimps." Bekken said, adding, after goalie opportunity in the third. Vars Volden told him something in "We haven't slept very good in Norway player Norwegian, "and we have a lot of two days, so tomorrow we'll play Martin Bekken good goalies." even better," said Martin Bekken, a Roeymark said Norwegian right winger on the Norwegian team. "But so hockey typically features good skaters, "and far, I think we did well." technical as well." Bekken said coach Tom Roeymark told his The good skating likely comes from playing players to come out hitting. on the larger, international rinks. Adjusting to "Our coach said to tackle a lot, because he the smaller North American ice pads, Roeymark thought Canadians would tackle a lot, but they noted, will take his players some getting used were wimps," said the 15-year-old, smiling. to. This year's Oakville tournament marks the "The game was rather unusual for us in third time Roeymark has taken his team to play Norway, because it's a small rink here," he said. in Canada. "We have the international rink, and it's much "It's because Canada is the home place for wider. It will take some adjusting." hockey," the coach said. "We learn a lot over The team's plans while it is in Canada, aside here. It's rough hockey, more shooting. The from the tournament, include visiting Niagara whole attitude over here is very good." Falls and watching the Toronto Maple Leafs take Roeymark says Canadians practice the game on the Tampa Bay Lightning on New Year's Day. a lot more than they're able to in Norway, where The NHL experience will be a first for many hockey is "very small," he says, and is overshad- of the players, including Bekken and Volden. owed by other winter sports like skiing and The Manglerud Star will conclude its roundspeed skating. robin schedule today with a 4:30 p.m. game Norway's neighbour, Sweden, is better against the Brantford 99ers at Oakville Arena.