Tak Anholt loves to score and celebrate.
The latter was evident after he buried the 3-2 game winner against Delta that punched Yale Hockey Academy a ticket into the Prep Division final of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League playoffs on March 21. He dropped to a knee and swung his arm up like a windmill, then after huddling with his teammates, skated to the bench high fiving his other teammates while screaming until he reached goalie Liam Hughes.
YHA Brad Bowen said that enthusiasm is an example of what he brings.
“He just loves to score. It’s contagious right?” said Bowen. “When we score we want to be happy. He does that in practice. The goalies don’t like it and the d-men don’t like it. For our team, they just smile.”
Against Delta, Anholt displayed his hockey sense to get in an area that led to his winning goal. After the game was tied 2-2, his line was put out immediately and line mate Kohen Olischefski won a battle for the puck behind the Delta net. Gliding into the face-off area, Anholt took the puck and quickly fired a shot low past goalie Jeremy Kelleway at 15:03 to make it 3-2.
“He’s a difference maker. He finds opportunities to score,” said Bowen. “He gets into those soft areas and has a quick release. He probably could have had three goals in the first period. That’s what you’re going to get from him.
“It’s a player that will be dangerous. He can beat players one-on-one,” continued Bowen on the North Vancouver product. “He has that ability to put a puck in an area and make players better around him.”
Bowen added that if the former Vancouver Northwest Giant is put in good opportunities, he will consistently produce. The key with Anholt is to keep him smiling. When Anholt gets frustrated, he ends up down on himself and tries doing too much.
“Keep him smiling and enjoying it,” added Bowen.
The Vees announced in early October that the five-foot-11, 155-pound forward had committed to them. His addition will help fill a void up front with the expected turnover.
“We believe Tak will be able to make a quick transition from Prep hockey to the BCHL level,” said Vees coach-general manager Fred Harbinson. “He has good size, excellent skill and more importantly he is a good person off the ice. He excelled at our camps, and we look forward to working on developing his abilities. ”
With YHA, Anholt, 17, has focused on getting stronger and has hit the weights. He said YHA does a good job of getting their players in the gym.
“I thought I had a great season. I was really happy with the way I played,” said Anholt, who was unable to find the back of the net in a 6-0 loss to Okanagan Hockey Academy Prep White team in the CSSHL Prep Division final. “Hopefully I can move that on with the Vees next year.”
He finished the season with 28 goals and had 64 points in 24 regular season games to go with a goal and an assist in three playoff games.