Warriors get behind the eight ball; fall to Oilers

Times Editor

 

Essentially, one bad game may have cost the Wheatland Warriors a chance to move on to the third-round of the SCAHL playoffs.

After wining their opening round series 2-1, the local double-A bantam team lost Game 1 of the second-round to the Okotoks Oilers and never recovered.   

The Warriors fell 5-2 to the well-rested Oilers on March 2, before falling 2-0 in Game 2 of their best-of-three series at the Strathmore Family Centre on March 5.

“We kind of got behind the eight ball during the first game – we went down to Okotoks and didn’t play well,” said Warriors head coach Russell Koester. “We only played for about five minutes that game and you’re behind right away. (Game 2) wasn’t a terrible game, but when you get behind the eight ball like that in a three game series, you can’t afford to have that slow start.”

After earning a first-round bye, the Oilers stormed out to a 1-0 lead in the first period of Game 1. Wheatland responded when Taylor Donner converted a feed from Blair Roszell to even the score, before the Oilers struck for two unanswered.

The Warriors pulled to within one when McKay Bray found Jaryd Coccimiglio midway through the third period, before the Oilers finished the scoring with a pair of markers.

In Game 2, goaltender Reid Muenchrath made 34 saves, but the Warriors couldn’t convert on any of their 21 shots.

“I think the kids were a little tight too, squeezing their sticks a little bit,” said Koester of Game 2. “They were a little nervous, so they weren’t really sticking to the system (or) the game plan. We couldn’t generate enough quality chances.”

According to Koester, one of the team’s strength was their balanced line-up throughout. He said there was not one ‘standout’ line and the coaching staff kept rolling the lines. He said the team matured from the first preseason game to the last game of the playoffs.

“That was one of the goals from the start of the year – is that everyone improves as a player, a teammate and as a person as well,” said Koester. “I think they all have.”

 

Chiefs tangle with Lightning

After earning a first-round bye into the postseason, the Wheatland Chiefs AA midget team is preparing for round two versus Airdrie. 

Despite finishing the season with 20 more points than their opposition, the Chiefs are expecting a tough match up against the Lightning. 

The Chiefs have had previous success over Airdrie in league play, winning 7-3 at home in late October, before closing out the regular season with a 5-3 win late last month. 

However, Airdrie proved to be a formidable opponent for the Chiefs during the Zone Playdowns for the Provincial Championship in early February. Airdrie won the two game (combined score) series with a 3-2 win in Game 1 and 4-3 in Game 2.

The Chiefs will look for revenge during the league playoffs.

Game 1 of the best-of-three series was slated to begin March 9 at the Strathmore Family Centre (results unavailable as of press time).

Wheatland will travel to Airdrie on March 11 (7:45 p.m.) for Game 2. Game 3, if necessary, will take place on March 12 (7:45 p.m.) at the Strathmore Family Centre.