Warriors battle back

Times Editor 

 

With their backs against the wall, the Wheatland Warriors responded and earned a berth in the SCAHL North Championship Series.

The local double-A bantam team, which lost 4-2 on home ice in Game 1 on Feb. 28, kept their season alive with a 4-0 win in Airdrie March 2, before clinching the series with a 3-2 win in Game 3 on home ice March 4.

“They’re good team and it was a battle all the way through,” said Warriors head coach Paden Grant. “We didn’t play our best in Game 1, we knew that, and we bounced right back. We had a really good effort in Game 2 – it was a pretty dominating performance – and it just kind of fed into Game 3. It was lot tighter game, but the kids kept battling and it worked out in the end.”

Unfortunately the Warriors got off on the wrong foot in Game 1, allowing two goals in the first period, before Ryan Bell made it a one goal game off of a feed from Kody Hammond and Matt Quigley. The Lightning struck again, taking a two-goal edge, before Matt Halkovic converted on the power play with a feed from Quigley and Hammond. However, the Lightning iced the game with a third period marker.

In Game 2, with their backs against the wall in a win-or-go-home game, the Warriors responded with a huge shutout win. Nolan Kent denied all 37 Airdrie shots, while Brad Hendricks, Joel Saraceni, Chris Rebeyka and Hammond each scored to extend the series to a one-game showdown.

While Game 3 was postponed one day because of the winter storm, the Lightning got on the board first, before Rob Butterwick converted a feed from Rebeyka early in the second period. After Airdrie regained the lead, Rob Finkbeiner scored late in the second period, converting a feed from Butterwick and Sarah Lecavalier.

The Warriors iced the game and the series with a goal with 9:23 left, when Rebeyka converted a feed from Regan Kinley.  

The Warriors will now meet the Sylvan Lake Lakers in the North Final, beginning on March 9. Game 1 is in Sylvan Lake, before the series shifts to Strathmore for Game 2 on March 10 (5:30 p.m.). Game 3, if necessary, is slated for March 12 in Sylvan.

“We’re definitely going to have to be on our game,” said Grant. “There is a reason they’re in first place, they’re a really good team. We have to play a disciplined game and we can’t get away from our systems. We just have to worry about winning every shift and battling hard. We can’t have any lapses.”

 

Braves advance

Despite sweeping their opening round playoff series, the Wheatland Braves need to elevate their game to another level if they expect to advance any further in the SCAHL playoffs.

That was the message Braves head coach Keith Klemmensen had for his squad after defeating the Red Deer TBS two games to none.

“There is no doubt about it (that there is room for improvement),” said Klemmensen. “I’ll tell you right now … if we play like we did (in Game 2), we’ll be done Sunday afternoon. That’s the second game of the next round and we’ll be done. Bow Valley is just too good to play like that. They’ll just jump on you.

“We can beat Bow Valley, but we need to be working hard and doing our best. If we don’t want to do that, they can beat us, believe me.”

The Braves opened the playoffs with a 4-0 win on March 1 in Game 1 on home ice in Hussar, before traveling to Red Deer March 4 and posting a 5-1 win.

Despite outscoring Red Deer 9-1 in the series, Klemmensen was not fond of the Braves performance in Game 2.

“I give my hat off to the coaching staff of that team,” said Klemmensen of his Red Deer counterpart. “They outworked us for most of the second game and I give them a lot of credit.”

The Braves are now preparing to host Bow Valley in the North Final. Game 1 is slated for March 8 (7:30 p.m.) in Hussar, before travelling to Cochrane in Game 2 on March 10. Game 3, if necessary, will take place March 11 (6 p.m.) in Hussar.