The Weyburn Peewee Youngfellows put on the Team Canada jerseys and defeated a team from Kazakhstan 4-1 on Dec. 23 at the Colosseum, a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many of the players.

The exhibition game between the Youngfellows and the Kazakhstan Torpedoes was the final game of a western Canada tour the team from the former Soviet republic was taking part in.

A total of nine games were played by the Torpedoes, seven of which were played in Saskatchewan. The other two games were played in Medicine Hat, Alta.

Youngfellows captain Braydon Regier said there was a lot of excitement leading up to the game and his teammates were looking forward to the match.

"A Russian team coming over just to play a game, it's pretty fun to play against those guys," said Regier.

The style of play of the Kazakhstan team is slightly different from what the local players are used to.

Regier commented the European players aren't as physical and tend to pass a lot more than their Canadian counterparts.

While meeting the Kazakhstan players on the ice was a new experience for Regier, the high point of the night came after the game was over.

"After the game, meeting with all of them, having supper with them and trying to talk to them, that was great" he said.

While communication was a little difficult due to the language barrier, Regier said the two teams got along quite well.

The other memorable experience for Regier was wearing the Team Canada jersey, an experience he hopes to be able to repeat someday.

Regier's teammate, Colton Jensen called the entire event memorable.

Jensen scored twice during the game, once in the second period and his second goal coming during a power play in the third.

"It was fun, they were a pretty good team," said Jensen.

The difference in style of play was a welcome change for Jensen, who said the Kazakhstan players weren't physical at all.

It turns out that the opposing team not hitting was Jensen's favourite part of the actual game.

"We could just carry the puck and there was more offense," he said.

Jensen, like Regier, enjoyed wearing the Team Canada uniform during the game and described the feeling as "awesome."

He went on to say it would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to wear the jersey, as it would be unlikely he would get the chance to do it again.

The game was a chance for players from both teams to have that unique life experience.

Peewee Youngfellows coach Mike Spencer said it was a chance for his players to play against players they may never meet on the ice again.

"I was more excited for the kids; I mean, it's a great opportunity for them, once-in-a-lifetime for a lot of these kids," said Spencer.

The coaching staff didn't change tactics when going up against the European team, but stuck to their normal style of play.

Kazakhstan's players relied heavily on stick handling and passing during the game while the Youngfellows play a more physical game.

One of the other differences in the style of play is the Kazakh players don't like dumping the puck, but prefer to pass the puck at centre ice and create the play.

"It actually makes it easier on our defence, they want to carry it in all the time and make a play," said Spencer.

Spencer also enjoyed watching his players putting on their Team Canada uniforms for the first time.

"Every kid on the team, their faces just lit up," said Spencer. "It was quite an exciting time for them."

Following the game, the coach said both teams enjoyed eating together and managed to talk to each other through some translators travelling with the team.

The Canada-Kazakhstan tournament was put on by the Hockey Ministries International.