The Kerry Park Islanders may have dropped three exhibition games over the weekend but the team still had one monumental victory.

Though verification is still pending, itB次元官网网址檚 believed to be the first time ever in the VIJHL that a female position player has taken to the ice in official game play.

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Defender Aurora Kahlert was slotted into the lineup in both Kerry ParkB次元官网网址檚 home games, first on Saturday night, a 6-4 loss to the Glacier Kings, then on Sunday afternoon, a 5-2 loss to last seasonB次元官网网址檚 VIJHL runners-up, the Saanich Predators.

The 16-year-old Maple Ridge product earned a spot on two exhibition rosters after catching the eye of the coaches in the teamB次元官网网址檚 pre-season camp.

B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 just an impressive young lady,B次元官网网址� head coach Henry Acres said. B次元官网网址淚 thought that Aurora performed really, really well on Saturday. Like she mentioned herself, Sunday was more of a struggle B次元官网网址� not just for her but for the entire group.B次元官网网址�

Acres said in both games Kahlert handled herself well.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 extremely impressed with her, first and foremost with how mature she is as a young person and then also what she can do as a hockey player, with how she conducts herself, and her poise,B次元官网网址� Acres said.

Last summer Kahlert skated at an Alberni Valley Bulldogs ID camp in Abbotsford before playing her season with the Vancouver NE Chiefs U17 AAA team.

She went on to make history with her BC U18 team in early March of 2023 as a member of the first ever Team BC female squad to win gold at the Canada Winter Games.

This week she was also invited to the Female Program of Excellence prep camp in September that will see players compete for a spot on the Team BC roster for the 2023 National WomenB次元官网网址檚 Under-18 Championship in Dawson Creek in November.

Kahlert still has a couple of years left of high school before moving on to the NCAA, where sheB次元官网网址檚 been highly recruited.

Meanwhile, the Islanders want to keep her in the fray as an affiliate player.

B次元官网网址淲e definitely want to have her, as much as she can, be a part of our group,B次元官网网址� Acres said. B次元官网网址淚 see her as having a really strong opportunity to play at this level next year as long as she keeps working and developing. The only thing for her is that power and strength and that speed. WeB次元官网网址檒l see how this year of development goes.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檒l be tricky, the coach noted, as typically affiliate players live nearby, not a ferry trip away.

B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 got to figure out where sheB次元官网网址檚 going to play and sheB次元官网网址檒l get a schedule from that team and when the schedule works, if she can get over here for a practice or a game, then weB次元官网网址檒l make that work,B次元官网网址� Acres said. B次元官网网址淲hat she can do as a hockey player, weB次元官网网址檙e just scratching the surface.B次元官网网址�