Warriors zap Lightning in two
Mario Prusina
Times Editor
A pair of quick starts propelled the Wheatland Warriors past the Airdrie Lightning in the SCAHL playoffs.
The local double-A bantam team jumped out to a 3-0 lead in Game 1 and 2-0 in Game 2, en route to sweeping the best-of-three series two games to none.
“We played well – in the first game, we did just enough to win after we came out flying,” said Warriors head coach Paden Grant. “It was the same case in the second game, we came out hard and they let off. We did what we had to do to win.”
The Warriors entered the playoffs with a couple of weekends off, including a first round bye, which allowed the team to heal some nagging injuries.
However, once the puck was dropped in Game 1 on March 1, the Warriors stormed out to a 3-0 lead, before hanging on to a 3-2 win at the Strathmore Family Centre.
In Game 2 in Airdrie on March 3, the Warriors took a 2-0 lead just 2:48 into the game, before Airdrie cut the deficit in half with 36 seconds left in the opening period. The Warriors iced the game – and the series – with a pair of third period goals, on the way to a 4-1 win.
“In the second game, we played a lot better than we did in the first game,” said Grant. “That’s something you should do when you play the same teams back-to-back. We figured them out a bit and we played a lot better in the second game.
“In the first game, we came out to that big lead in the first period – and we kind of let them take it to us for a while. We were lucky to come out with the win – our goaltender played well and kept us in it.
“So we learned a lesson for the second game.”
According to Grant, it was important for the Warriors to ice the series in Game 2, instead of allowing a winner-take-all Game 3.
“It was huge – the way we’ve been going with injuries, not having to play the extra game, gives you an extra day of rest,” said the coach. “Not being in an elimination game situation is kind of nice.”
The Warriors are now preparing to face the Bow Valley Timberwolves in the North Conference Championship.
Bow Valley finished the regular season in first place in the North with 50 points, while the second seed Warriors had 44 points.
Bow Valley won the first two games of the season series, before the Warriors won 5-3 in the third game.
“They’re a good team – we’ve had battles with them all year,” said Grant of Bow Valley. “We’ve been close to them in the league and we’ve had a tough battle with them in the provincial (round robin). We’ve seen each other enough lately that we’re both good teams – you have to be on your game to beat them.
“They’re a quick team – they’re skilled and they get on you right away. You can’t sit back – you have to make quick decisions and move the puck well against them.
“They have talented players that when they get the chance to put the puck in the net, they do.”
After opening the series on the road March 7 (result not available for press time), the Warriors will host Game 2 on March 10 (5:45 p.m.) at the Strathmore Family Centre. Game 3, if necessary, will take place March 11 (2:30 p.m.) in Cochrane at the Spray Lakes Sawmills Family Sports Centre.
Chiefs host Lightning
The Wheatland Chiefs will begin defence of their SCAHL Championship against the Airdrie Lightning.
The local midget double-A team hosted the Lightning in Game 1 on March 7 (result not available as of press time), before traveling to Airdrie for Game 2 on March 10 (7:15 p.m.).
Game 3, if necessary, will take place on March 11 (4:15 p.m.) at the Strathmore Family Centre.
For up-to-date results on all SCAHL action, visit the league website at www.scahl.com.