Chiefs recapture winning ways

Tyler Lowey
Times Reporter

 

After the Wheatland Chiefs saw their undefeated season come to an end on the road, they got back into the swing of things with a pair of convincing home wins this past weekend.
The local double-A midget team took out the CRAA Gold Royals 6-3 Oct. 29 and blasted the Lethbridge Hurricanes 8-1 Oct. 30 during South Central Alberta Hockey League play at the Strathmore Family Centre.
“This was an important win for us. They came in undefeated and other teams can hunt you down in the standings pretty easily if you start dropping a couple games in a row,” said Chiefs goaltender Riley Stovka following their 6-3 win over the Royals.
The Chiefs tied the CNHA Blazers 2-2 Oct. 26 at the Max Bell Centre and were looking to regroup against the Royals (2-1).
“Our boys played well and bought into the strategy we developed. We wanted to see if our new ideas and messing around a little would work,” said Chiefs assistant coach Matt Gregory.
Gregory claims that part of the coaching staff’s new ideas didn’t include looping highlights of Wayne Gretzky working behind the net, but it sure looked like it. Three of the Chiefs (7-1-1) tallies came from plays starting behind the net.
“That wasn’t our plan, things just happened like that. We just got everything to the net and banged them in,” said 16-year-old Brady Skiffington.
Skiffington finished with a goal and an assist, scoring on the power play when Ryan McHarg took the puck behind the net, passing out front to Skiffington who was wide open in the middle of the slot, one-timing it through the five-hole.
Defenseman Kelton Travis, who sits second on the team in scoring with three goals and 11 points, scored the winner when he was in all alone, wrapping around the net to tuck the puck in the gaping cage on the other side.
“We knew this was going to be a tougher game. We came in with a better mentality and we needed to respond after last week’s games. Our guys stepped up, won battles and fought harder,” said Travis, who played with Skiffington last season for the M15 Rockyview Raiders.
“Brady is a hard worker, plays the body and probably one of the best on our team at working in the corners and getting the puck to the net,” said Travis.
Remaining Chiefs goals came from Isaac Benoit, A.J. Kusu, Wacy Sandum and Kale Clouston, with assists by Benoit (3), McHarg (2) and Sandum.
Benoit now leads the Chiefs with seven goals and 13 points.
Stovka started his third game between the pipes and turned away 22 shots, and is enjoying his first season of AA hockey.
“Riley played well. He stopped a lot of first shots, battled hard and dealt with a lot of traffic in front of the net,” said Gregory.
Ty Tarvyd returned to the crease during the 8-1 thrashing of the Hurricanes. Tarvyd was also a member of that Raiders team with Travis and Skiffington. He racked up 19 saves for his fifth win, as he leads the league with a microscopic 0.67 goals against average and spotless .970 save percentage.
Rylan Longmuir sniped a hat trick, while other goals were contributed by Lucas Muenchrath, Benoit, Skiffington, Sandum and Kusu. Chayse Hnatowich registered three assists, Tyler Skehar and Travis added a pair of helpers, while Scott Desserre, Zachary Suntjens and captain Ryan Bell chipped in with one assist each.
The Chiefs hit the road, where they are 1-1-1 this season. First, a bout with the Foothills Bisons (0-7-2) Nov. 5 at the Tom Hornecker Recreation Centre, followed by a re-match with the Medicine Hat Hounds (6-2-1) Nov. 6 at Kinplex I in a battle for first place in the south conference.
The Hounds handed the Chiefs their first loss of the season Oct. 23 in Medicine Hat.

 

Warriors win two
The Wheatland Warriors continued to build in the right direction with a pair of strong games over the weekend.
The local double-A bantam team opened the weekend with an 8-2 thumping of the Medicine Hat Hounds (3-6) at Hussar Arena.
Nolan Bailey pulled the hat trick and added an assist to lead the Warriors. Kage Yellowfly buried a pair of snipes while Bryce Benfield, Trey Gillis and Kobe Gosling added markers. Cole Walker was in the giving spirit, finishing with three assists, Clye Clayton chipped in with a pair of helpers, with other assists coming from Zach Nicholls, Adam Kirkpatrick, Kegan Law, Jarred Schrock, Benfield and Gillis.
Logan Grant was impressive in net, stopping 35 shots.
The Warriors (3-7-2) opened the scoring on a goal from Kirkpatrick, assisted by Cole Walker and Yellowfly, but the Hurricanes (2-5-2) scored four unanswered goals, taking over.
Law found the back of the net on the power play from Mitch Tessemaker and Bailey.
The Warriors head to Blackie Arena to take on the Foothills Bisons (1-9) Nov. 4 and return home Nov 6. to host the Okotoks Oilers (6-2-2). Puck drop is slated for 5 p.m. at the Strathmore Family Centre.

 

Braves take a win
The Wheatland Braves racked up their first win of the season as they toppled the Okotoks Oilers Black 5-2 Oct. 30 at Murray Arena.
Adam Moore netted the winner from Nolan Mahussier halfway through the second period. Ryder Many Grey Horses bagged a pair of goals, Tyler Fairbairn supplied a goal and an assist, and Cole Tweit scored on the power play with 4:11 remaining in the second. Grady Stovka, Jacob Galandy and Many Grey Horses added an assist each.
“It was good to get a win for these kids. They were quite the happy bunch after the game,” said Braves’ head coach Keith Klemmensen.
Rhett Harten wasn’t too busy in net; he only needed to turn away 14 shots.
The Braves (1-8-1) look to turn this into a winning streak when they head on the road to take on the West Central Tigers (4-3-1) On Nov. 5 and the Red Deer Motors (3-2-3) the following day.