Wheatland teams have great weekend

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

The Wheatland Braves are inching closer to locking up second in the south division playoff picture after a pair of home wins, over the Foothills Bisons 8-3 in Hussar on Feb. 19 and a 6-3 win over the Bow Valley Timberwolves in Strathmore on Feb. 21.
After being down 2-0 halfway through the first period to Bow Valley, Trey Gillis was able to get them back on even terms with two goals before the period expired, which kick-started a 4-1 run the rest of the way.
“We just had to push a little harder and it worked out,” said Braves forward Adam Kirkpatrick.
“(We) just got pucks deep and out of our end. We just got to take care of our end first and work it in their end and we did.”
He added that in the first period they weren’t getting pucks deep and turned the puck over more, but in the second and third periods the puck was turned over less and the team was able get more offense going.
Tristan Zandee also scored two goals while Kirkpatrick and Joel Romano added one goal each versus Bow Valley.
Zandee notched the hat trick, while Gillis and Philip Raycroft scored two goals each and Kirkpatrick scored one goal in the win against Foothills.
The local peewee double-A will secure their playoff fate when they have a showdown with the first-place Medicine Hat Hounds at 7:30 p.m. in Hussar on Feb. 26, while the game with the biggest playoff implications could come down to the last game of the season in Lethbridge, against the Hurricanes White, who are one point back of the Braves.
Game time is slated for 2:45 p.m. on Feb. 28.
Meanwhile, the Wheatland Warriors are controlling their own destiny of finishing first place going into the final weekend of regular season, after a 7-2 road win in Red Deer on Feb. 20 and an 11-0 shutout over Foothills in Strathmore on Feb. 21.
Head Coach Cody Brown said in games like the one against Foothills, the team just wanted to get through it; however, there was no excuse for bad habits to creep into the team’s game and the onus is on the players to be mature enough to understand it.
“Everybody gets a fair shake up,” said Brown.
“You can try some new stuff, work on things. You’ve got a little more time and space out there, give some guys who traditionally at this point in the year might not get a shot in certain situations to try it out and getting a feel for things.”
He added that it’s a feather in a guy’s cap to be able to finish first and clinch the division, but knows it’s going to be tight to accomplish the feat as Cranbrook is only three points behind with a game in hand, and Taber sitting one point behind.
Brandon Kasdorf led the attack with two goals, while Brayden Kapty, Ben Slemp, Ethan McKibbin, Tristan Olexson, Stran Backfat Redcrow, Max Kathol, Carter Kam, Cole Berg and Mo Hakim scored against Foothills.
Kasdorf led the way with a hat trick and Hakim scored two goals, while Kathol and Keith Yellowfly scored against Red Deer.
The local bantam double-A team will host Cranbrook at Strathmore Family Centre at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 26 and end the season with Lethbridge in town at 4:15 p.m on Feb. 28.
The Wheatland Chiefs clinched first place after a 5-2 win in Airdrie on Feb. 20, and a 6-1 win over the Foothills Bisons at the Strathmore Family Centre on Feb. 21.
Chiefs Assistant Coach Keenan Desmet said it was tough times to get up for games against these teams in the bottom of the division but credits the boys for coming together this weekend and getting both wins.
“I think you got to stay positive with everybody,” said Desmet.
“Everybody’s trying to do too much sometimes against these teams and I think you can’t dwell on mistakes because they’re trying new things. I think you got to stay positive with the kids and make sure everyone gets lots of ice.”
Chayse Hnatowich and Riley Romashenko each had two goal games, while Scott Desserre and Christopher Rebeyka had one goal each agaisnt Foothills.
Wacy Sandum scored two goals to lead the charge, while Hnatowich, Jared Kirkpatrick and Jason Hobson scored in Airdrie
The local midget double-A team will finish the season in Medicine Hat on Feb. 26 at 8:15 p.m.