Men’s hockey team achieves historic perfect season

Published on March 22, 2016

Ooks sweep the playoffs to win provincial title; end the year with 36-0 record

For the second time in its 51-year history, the NAIT Ooks men’s hockey team has defeated the odds and recorded a perfect season.

The team clinched top spot in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) this weekend with a pair of wins (4-3 and 3-2) over the University of Alberta Augustana Vikings in a best-of-three final series, securing their spot in the history books.

The Ooks end the year with a 36-0 record, including 32 wins in the regular season and four in the post-season (they earned a bye into the semi-finals). It’s a run that rivals the legendary, undefeated 1984-85 team (see how the 2 teams compare in this techlife story). The 84-85 team was inducted into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012 for the achievement.

Prior to the start of the regular season, the current Ooks team defeated the University of Alberta Golden Bears and University of British Columbia en route to winning the Golden Bears Invitational Tournament.

QUOTES

Mike Gabinet, head coach, NAIT Ooks men’s hockey team
“I’m proud of how our players developed both on and off the ice and what we achieved this year. This is a bond that will last a lifetime. We didn’t talk about the streak all year, but we did celebrate it after the final game.”

Linda Henderson, director, NAIT Athletics
“Words alone cannot express how proud I am of the resiliency, the courage and the athleticism of our men’s hockey team. Winning a championship at this level takes a lot of hard work, focus, commitment, trust and teamwork. Through the exceptional leadership of head coach Mike Gabinet and his coaching staff, the team was triumphant. It truly is an outstanding accomplishment for these extraordinary student-athletes.”

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NAIT Athletics

About NAIT

The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) is a leading Canadian polytechnic, delivering education in science, technology and the environment; business; health and trades. With nearly 60,000 credit and non-credit students and a 95 per cent employer satisfaction rate, NAIT grads are essential to Alberta’s prosperity. Known for hands-on, technology-based learning, NAIT engages with business and industry in applied research and innovation and provides corporate training around the world. Recognized as one of Alberta’s top employers, NAIT provides outstanding returns on investment for its graduates, partners, the provincial government and the people of Alberta.

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