Branson and his 6-9 year-old Avalanch teammates play on Aces ice - part 2: Boys and girls charge onto the ice, play hard and chaotic

Sporting pink skatelaces and a beautiful smile, Shailey Symbol prepares to go out and do battle for the Avalanche - against the Avalanche. For the exhibition game that fell between the first and second periods of the match between the Anchorage Aces and the Stockton Thunder, the team divided in half to play itself.

Kira Hietala of Wasilla's Avalanche, a team of six to nine year olds. There are fifteen players on the team, five of them are girls. They smile pretty, but they play as tough and hard as do the boys.

As his dad straps his helmet onto his head, Branson pysches himself up for the six-minute game.

Wasilla's Alaska Avalanche is now ready to skate out onto the ice and take itself on. The young hockey players just have to wait for the Aces, who still battle the Thunder - who they will defeat, 3 - 1.

Soon, the Aces exit the arena and pass by where the Avalanche awaits their turn on the ice. Most of the Aces scoot on by, but center Garry Nunn pauses to thump some helmets.

Coach Steve Johnson sent Branson onto the ice first, right behind Boomer, the Aces polar bear mascot. Johnson asked the other players if they knew why he wanted to send Branson out first. "Yes," they answered, it was a thank you to Branson's dad, Scot Starheim, for making the arrangements with the Aces to invite the Avalanche to perform on their ice.

I had thought the players would gather in the middle of the arena for introductions. This did not happen. The moment they all were on the ice was the moment they started to play. They had six minutes, total time, clock running. There was no time to waste on introductions. Once started, they did not stop for anything.

At first, it seemed to me to be nothing but chaos on the ice.

Soon, it became clear that these young athletes had come to Anchorage to play hockey. Brendon Creech battles an opponent for the puck.

Mikey Greco reaches for the puck.

Davi McGrew, also sporting pink skatelaces, takes control of the puck and then concentrates on the goal.

Davi shoots and scores against Phillip Brevogel.

A bit later, Phillip blocks what would have been another score.

The game is over. No one kept score and Coach Johnson thinks maybe only one score was made - Davi's. I told you the girls played as tough as the boys.

Wasilla's Alaska Avalanche won the game.

Boomer exchanged a congratulatory high five with Kaleb Estrada.

Inside, Boomer had love to give to all the Avalanche.

Branson exchanges a high five with Boomer.

Branson and his 6-9 year-old Avalanche teammates play on Aces ice - part 1: Branson, pre-game

One Friday night when I was in the middle of the process of putting together my David Alan Harvey Loft workshop series, I took a break to drive to Anchorage where Branson and his Alaska Avalanche hockey team of six-to-nine year olds was about to compete in a six-minute, running-clock, exhibition game on the same ice where the Anchorage Aces would take on the Stockton Thunder.

Branson arrived early with his dad and mom, Scot and Carmen Starheim, owners and operators of Metro Cafe. Here is six-year old Branson with mom Carmen at the gate to the Sullivan Arena. Dad Scot had disappeared to take care of some task that needed taking care of.

Once inside, the family accompanied Branson to the VIP room, where he got to dine on diced beef, pasta, salad and corn chips. Afterward, he needed to pick his teeth.

In the VIP room, Branson engaged a very tall man in some hockey talk. Clearly, the man was impressed. Branson knows his hockey talk.

Branson joins his family in the bleachers to watch the first period of Aces-Thunder competition. Carmen adjusts Branson's hair so that he can be presentable to pose with his grandparents, Tony and Eva Villasenor, originally from a small village in Mexico. They did not move to Anchorage until Carmen was ten. Her early life was spent barefoot on dirt floors. They had no cameras and so Carmen has only one photo from her early childhood in Mexico.

Branson with his grandparents.

Branson with grandparents, mom, aunts, uncles, cousin and friends.

The Avalanche exhibition will be played during the break between the first and second periods. As the Aces skate onto the ice, Branson and his dad point out different players to each other.

The Aces score the first goal. Branson and his dad celebrate.

Soon it is time for Branson to go down to the doors that open onto the ice and to get ready to compete. His dad joins him.

Branson, stick in hand, helmet on head, ready to go do battle on the same ice where the Aces now skate. He and his teammates will compete against each other before the same crowd that the Aces do their own battle on.

I will post Part 2 later today, which will feature not only Branson but his whole team, the Aces, and Boomer -their polar bear mascot.