The FSC Bantam A Mustangs came home last weekend with a silver medal from a higher level tournament than they are used to in Kelowna.

The Mustangs were playing in a Tier 2 tournament to challenge themselves, coach Jay Glass said, from Jan. 15 to 17.

"We were really desperately hoping to get a spot in a semi-final,” Glass said.

And they got that wish, rallying to a 3-1 win against the Port Alberni Bulldogs to clinch a spot in the finals.

"We went into that game thinking anything after this is a bonus,” Glass said.

In both the quarter-finals and the semi-finals, the Mustangs were the first to score, and both goals came from Jared Steinbach.

The quarter-final first goal was assisted by Tyson Glass and Matt McCarthy.

The Bulldogs didn't get on the scoreboard until the third period, with their only goal of the night.

Mustangs goalie Nigel Sinclair-Eckert faced 40 shots, stopping all but one.

"It was a team that was really strong,” Glass said. "The guys played hard.”

The final game was between the FSC Bantam A Mustangs and Kamloops. Because of the Mustangs' hard fought battles earlier in the tournament, the team was down four defencemen with injuries, Glass said.

Having already beaten the Kamloops team, the Mustangs were optimistic that they could come away with the gold.

"We met them in the final and we knew we had a good chance against them,” Glass said.

Steinbach's first game goal was unassisted, followed by two power-play goals from Kamloops to push the Mustangs behind by a goal.

In the second period Kamloops jumped ahead even further on a power-play.

Steinbach scored again, this time assisted by Tyson Glass and Trevor Whynot.

Once again Kamloops found themselves with an advantage on a power-play, and moved even further ahead.

In the third the Mustangs did their best to fight back and close the gap.

Charles Dagostin got a goal from the pint, with an assist credited to Riley Pettitt and Steinbach.

In a final attempt to make up the deficit facing them, the Mustangs pulled their goalie for an extra man up front in the final minute of the game. They saw a number of goal chances, but were unfortunately unable to make up the score.

Kamloops scored an empty-netter to end the final at 6-3.

Player of the game was given to Steinbach, for his performance throughout the tournament.

The tournament was great experience for the FSC Mustangs, as they prepare for provincials.

The team will head to Fort. St. John on Feb. 14 for a tournament, where Glass hopes the team will again make the semi-finals.

After the Ft. St. John tournament, the boys will head to provincials in Castlegar on March 6.

Glass hopes that the final tournament in Ft. St. John before provincials will help them prepare for the tough competition they will face.

"We should be ready for Castlegar,” he said.