It was a long way to go for gold.

But that's exactly what happened as the Whitehorse Mustangs peewee team travelled 1,500 kilometres to Winfield, B.C., for the 2010 Peewee Rep invitational tournament.

After licking their wounds from a tough tournament in Camrose, where the team failed to pick up a win, the group went back to work in Whitehorse in preparation for the Winfield tournament, which included some old rivals as well as teams that may be making the trip to the provincial tournament, Fort St. John, Juan Da Fuca and North Vancouver.

Playing in a pool against these three teams, Whitehorse opened up the tournament with a game against Vancouver on Friday afternoon.

Knowing the first game at each tournament is a challenge for northern teams, the Mustangs came out flying in the first period scoring early and often in what went on to be an 8-0 rout of Vancouver.

While the score indicated otherwise, the Whitehorse team wasn't playing at their best level and as the game wore on bad habits were abound and individual rushes became the norm as the team coasted to victory.

Chance Goodman and Spencer Lessard each contributed two goals as Josh Tetlichi picked up the shutout in the bittersweet victory.

Saturday morning the team faced a greater challenge as they went up against the Juan de Fuca Grizzlies in a game that would end up deciding the seeding in the pools. Again the team struggled to find its true form, choosing to play to the level of the Grizzlies, allowing the opposition to remain in the game and failing to find a way to put the Grizzlies away despite out shooting the team 27-15.

Kaine Comin opened the scoring five minutes into the game but the team then failed to convert on the many opportunities that followed. Juan de Fuca on the other hand converted on two second period opportunities to take a 2-1 lead going into the third. The tide finally began to change early in the third when Nick Dobush circled the net and put the puck upstairs to tie the game and fire up the Mustangs, who were beginning to get frustrated with missed opportunities and the amount of pucks being put towards the net.

With the alternative scoring structure of the tournament (one point for winning a period, two for winning the game, 0.5 points for ties) every period was significant in the standings. The Grizzlies pressed hard for the go ahead goal and patiently waited for opportunities to exploit the mustangs aggressive style.

Thankfully for the Mustangs, when these chances came, Devon Troke was on his game and thwarted the attacks until the Grizzlies finally pulled ahead with six minutes to go in the third.

Desperately needing a goal to win the third period, tie the game and secure three points in the standings the Mustangs attacked with vigour and it paid off with defensemen Jack Blisner banging home a rebound with two minutes left.

The Mustangs continued to swarm the offensive zone, and given another period may have racked up the score. However, the goal did allow them to get the points required to remain in first place in Pool B.

Picking up the MVP and Grinder award was Nick Dobush, who was a force offensively throughout the game.

Saturday afternoon found the Mustangs facing off against the Fort St. John Flyers.

The battle for second in the pool was up for grabs with the Mustangs entering the game with eight points , Juan de Fuca with 11.5 and Fort St. John with 5.5.

The Mustangs opened the scoring with Sam Logan potting a break away in the first period.

Fort St. John answered in the second and held off the Mustangs until the third period, when Daniel Moses buried one from the slot to give the Mustangs the victory.

Josh Tetlichi was stellar in net, receiving the MVP and Grinder award. After finishing first in their pool the Mustangs faced the hometown Winfield Bruins.

The Mustangs struck early with Nick Dobush scoring a minute into the game and Matt Butler adding a highlight reel goal before the end of the first.

The Mustangs continued the offense with three second period goals by Levi Johnson who went upstairs from in tight, Nick Dobush who continued his hot streak and Jonas Leas.

Matthew Butler received both the MVP and the Grinder award.

Having reached the final the Mustangs now faced a rematch with Juan de Fuca.

With something to prove after a lackluster tie in the round robin the Mustangs stormed out but were stymied until 6:20 in the first when Sam Logan cooly tucked one behind the tender to put the Mustangs ahead 1-0. The Mustangs were relenteless attacking the Juan de Fuca goalie but a combination of bad luck and good goal tending kept the puck out of the net until the 11 minute mark of the second period.

The game was a physical battle and the stellar play of the Juan De Fuca goaltender kept the score close in a game where Whitehorse outshot their opponent 35-11. With two minutes left, Chance Goodman blew by the defensemen in the neutral zone and put one upstairs to make it 3-0 and seal the championship for the mustangs.

Kaine Comin received the MVP and Grinder award.

Needless to say a great weekend for the kids and a good step towards the ultimate goal of a B.C. provincial championship.

• Article submitted by Dan Johnson