For the first season in quite a while, the Burnaby Minor Eagles is hoping a place in the Collingwood conference will result in a better showing at the association's 49th bantam AAA Christmas hockey tournament.
For years, host Burnaby has struggled to get past the elimination playoff side of the draw at the popular post-Christmas tourney.
This season, the 10thplace Tier 1 team is well positioned for its best showing in more than a decade.
"This is the first time in 12 years a Burnaby team has been in Tier 1," said Burnaby Eagles head coach Richard Taki.
Regardless of where host Burnaby winds up following pool play in the five-day tournament, the Eagles will get a favourable opponent from the lower tiered Smith division as its first championship round adversary.
Taki likes the makeup of this year's club. It is made up of largely second-year players up front, while the back end is mainly first year players.
Although that mix has not resulted in a great start to the season, the 1-8-1 Eagles can look to the second half of the year as a period of growth.
That said, Taki is not about to concede defeat.
Injuries have slowed Burnaby's start in the first half of the season but if healthier, Taki expects his Eagle team to be able to compete.
With Semiahmoo, Cloverdale, Mission and 12-time bantam tournament champion North Shore Winter Club considered this year's favourites, Burnaby will have to step up its game and find some scoring if the team wants to surprise any of the top seeds.
The Eagles offence is averaging less than one goal a game in its first 10 league fixtures and has been shutout six times so far this season.
Burnaby's only league win in 2011 was a 3-1 victory over Chilliwack, which is also in this week's tournament.
The Eagles' best result so far is a 3-3 draw with Seafair, which is currently tied for second place with Semiahmoo in Tier 1 play.
Burnaby Minor has not tasted victory at the bantam tournament since it won back-to-back gold medals in 1983 and '84.
But those days are ancient history, said Taki.
"I think there is more to be expected from the Burnaby organization in the future," he said.
Better coaching, particularly at the younger levels, is changing the culture of the organization and producing better quality teams, Taki added.
Burnaby will open this year's Christmas tournament against ninth-place Langley on Dec. 27 at 3: 30 p.m.
Burnaby finishes up pool play on the following Wednesday, including the final game of the day at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre against Victoria Racquet Club, beginning at 8: 45 p.m.
Playoff eliminations start on Dec. 29 and run all day. Championship playdowns take place in the morning of Dec. 30, with semifinals starting later in the day at 6 p.m.
The medal games will be held on New Year's Eve with the consolation final beginning at 9 a.m.
The tournament final is scheduled to start at noon. The closing ceremonies follow the final game.
"Last year, we came out on top of the conference. But this year, the way it is set up, everyone has a fair shot. We have to go in as one unit. We need all 17 players on the same page," Taki said.
