It has been a dream start to the season for the players on the Whitehorse Atom Jr. Mustangs.

After amassing an impressive record of 4-2-1 in the PeeWee House League, the team added to its early season highlights by finishing in first place last weekend at a B.C. hockey tournament.

The Mustangs went 3-1 in the tier three division at the Fort St. John Minor Hockey Development Tournament, winning the gold medal game by a decisive score of 4-1.

"We know the kids certainly have the potential, but to happen in our first tournament of the year was a very pleasant surprise," said Jr. Atom Mustangs head coach John Grant. "All we ask of them is to be competitive, to give us their best on the ice and they sure did this (past) weekend."

The Mustangs kicked off the tournament Saturday morning against host Fort St. John Pimm Flyers. The Mustangs got off to a quick start thanks to Daniel Moses, who scored in the opening minute.

Mustangs goalie, Tynan Hope made some crucial saves for the remainder of the period to maintain his team's 1-0 lead into the second frame.

In the second period, the Mustangs broke out with five more goals, enjoying a 6-1 lead at one point.

However, Fatigue from an 18-hour overnight bus ride played a factor towards the end of the second, which resulted in the Flyers scoring a pair of goals in the final five minutes.

The score was 6-3 heading into the third period. Mustang goal scorers in the second period included Moses, Caleb Marsh, Sam Logan and Levi Johnson, who finished with two.

A quick goal by Spencer Lessard early on in the third period restored the Mustangs three goal advantage and the group was able to hold on, winning the contest by a 7-5 score.

Hope was named as MVP for his great play in net.

Players on the Mustangs didn't have long to savor the victory and were back on the ice for the second time Saturday afternoon when the team faced off against the Sexsmith Vipers.

The Vipers carried the play for the majority of the game and Grant said had it not been for the outstanding goaltending from Mustangs netminder Devon Troke, the team would have been out of it early on.

Sexsmith scored twice, before the Mustangs got on the board in the final two minutes of the second period. Logan netted the team's lone goal, which was unassisted.

The Vipers scored at the half way point of the final period and then added an empty netter to hand the Mustangs their first loss of the tournament.

Troke won his team's MVP award.

With the pressure of qualifying to play for gold, the Mustangs rose to the challenge in their final round robin contest Sunday. The team played the Chetwynd Atoms in what turned into the team's closest game of the tournament.

After both teams were held scoreless for the first 15 minutes, Johnson gave the Mustangs the 1-0 lead. However, Chetwynd bounced back not even a couple minutes later and evened the game up at 1-1.

The score remained tied until 11 seconds left when Chance Goodman restored Whitehorse's one-goal advantage.

Both teams traded goals in the third period, with Johnson scoring for the Mustangs.

Penalty trouble forced the Mustangs to face some adversity in the final four minutes of the game, but thanks to some excellent defensive work by Matthew Butler, who blocked three shots in the team's own end, they were able to get the 3-2 win. Butler was selected as MVP for his great work on defence.

Not only did the Mustangs qualify for the gold medal match, but the team also drew the opponent they were hoping for in what was a rematch against Sexsmith.

However, this time around the Mustangs would enjoy a different result as the group was well rested and playing to their full potential.

The Mustangs didn't waste any time taking the play to the Vipers and before the end of the first enjoyed a 3-0 lead, thanks to goals by Johnson, Goodman and Marsh.

After both team's were held scoreless in the second frame, Kaine Comin increased his Mustangs' lead to four goals, which put the game out of reach for Sexsmith.

The Vipers netted their lone goal with just over five minutes left in the game, ending Troke's shutout streak, but that would be as close as they would get.

"I think we played up to our potential," he said about the gold medal game. "The whole team played really well that game and it was by far the best game at least for this tournament if not for the year. We really came together."

Grant said the Mustangs have benefitted from the seven returning players and one returning goalie, but he was also quick to point out that the tournament win was as a result of the hard work that entire team put in.

"You have to have everybody step up and they certainly did," he said. "They all contributed one way or another."

He said some of the pleasant surprises included the great play of the team's blueliners, who include five first-year Atom players.

Lessard, 10, is one of the returning players on the Atom team. The left-winger said this was his first tournament win on a Mustangs team.

"It felt very good to win gold," he said. "We were the first Whitehorse Mustangs to bring back gold this year. I think our team was very excited and even our coaches I think were very happy to win gold with us."

Lessard said this is the best hockey team he has ever played on and it was special to win a tournament with the Mustangs.

"I am just really excited for our team," he said. "We gave our best and it worked and we came back with a medal."