Popping powerplays

Times Reporter 

 

The bantam AA Wheatland Warriors continued their hot streak with a 4-0 win over the Sylvan Lake Lakers at home and a 6-3 victory over the Bow Valley Timberwolves in Cochrane. The team is now 16-1-0 with 32 points.

“I think the kids have a good mind frame right now. They’re pushing to become better,” Warriors’ coach Mark Laycock said. “We’re winning all these games right now, but going farther into the season it’s just going to tighten up a bit.”

Against Sylvan Lake on Nov. 22, the Warriors capitalized on two of eight powerplay opportunities, thanks to Cole Clayton and Chayse Hnatowich. Kaleb Jardine also added two assists. Goalie Ty Tarvyd had a 35 save shutout night, and played against the Timberwolves as well, as fellow tender Matthew Shafer was injured with a muscle pull from last weekend’s play; he should be back for the Red Deer Steel Kings on Dec. 7.

“We evenly play them for the most part. They’re both really good goalies,” Laycock said. “They’re different in their styles; Tarvyd’s smaller, Schafer’s a bigger goalie, but they’re both very effective. I thought against Sylvan, Tarvyd made some big saves at really key opportunities. He really deserved (the shutout) that night.”

Tarvyd has recorded three shutouts so far, and is 9-1-0 with a .930 save percentage, and a 1.50 goals against average. Schafer is close behind, at 7-0-0, .900 per cent, and 2.29 GAA.

Again against the Timberwolves Nov. 24, the powerplay was working for the Warriors – the team was 3/4 with the man advantage. Laycock mentioned they’d been doing a lot of work on special teams in practice.

“We’ve been preaching to the kids to move the puck quick, and move their feet, and it’s going to open up lanes for them,” he said. “They’ve done a really good job of it lately.”

Ryan Ries, Joel Krahenbil, and Chayse Hnatowich had two points each in the 6-3 win. Though Kyle Merkosky still sits fourth in league scoring with 32 points in 17 games, it seems the squad is chipping in all over offensively.

“That’s the really good thing about our team, is that I think we can roll four lines and feel comfortable that any line can score at any time,” Laycock said. “At the same time, they’re all defensively aware and that’s part of what we are. You can score goals but you have to be aware on the other side of the puck.”

The Wheatland Warriors have an astonishing 106 goals for and 31 goals against in 17 games this season.

 

Wheatland Braves

The peewee Wheatland Braves had two wins at home this weekend before falling on the road to the Okotoks Oilers. On Nov. 22, the Braves beat the Medicine Hat Venom Black 6-4, with Tarun Fizer and Kyle Crnkovic contributing three points each. The next night, the Braves shocked Red Deer Parkland 5-0, with Fizer and Crnkovic once more adding three points each. Kenny Holt-Stewart made 28 saves for a well-earned shutout.

On Nov. 24, Cole Berg had the peewee Braves’ only goal, as Wheatland was defeated 5-1 in Okotoks. Wheatland goalie Ethan Rycroft faced 51 shots, while the Braves only managed 26 shots on the Oilers. The next peewee game is Nov. 30 against Bow Valley, where they hope to improve their 7-8-2 record. Fizer is leading the team with 29 points, with Crnkovic close behind with 25.

 

Wheatland Chiefs

The midget Wheatland Chiefs also won two and lost one this weekend, losing firstly to the CNHA Blazers on Nov. 20. Mckay Bray and Coltyn Herman had two points each in the loss; half of the Chiefs’ goals came on the man advantage.

On Nov. 23, the Chiefs rebounded in a 5-2 win over the CBHA Rangers, with Taylor Donner, Cody Willis, and Cole Busslinger adding two points each. Chiefs’ forward Quinton Peplinski was ejected for a check from behind, and suspended one game.

More success on the powerplay added to the win over the Red Deer Elks on Nov. 24, by a score of 7-3; three of the Chiefs’ goals came five on four. Herman added four points, while Cody Willis had a hat trick. Willis and Herman now have 22 points each and are within top ten in league scoring.

The Wheatland midgets are 9-2-1 in the North Division, and have their next game in Hussar against the Foothills Bisons on Nov. 29.