Stovka saves the day as Chiefs snooze on Stampeders
Tyler Lowey
Times Reporter
The puck was on the stick of the league’s best player, on a breakaway, in a tie game with 10 seconds remaining.
Calgary NWCAA Stampeders (8-1-3) netminder Taylor Finlayson got fooled by Wheatland Chiefs Isaac Benoit’s array of movement, but kicked the potential game-winning shot aside with the left skate blade, preserving the 2-2 tie during South Central Alberta Hockey League action Feb. 11 at the Strathmore Family Centre.
“They are a pretty good team and they attacked us tonight,” said Chiefs assistant coach Matt Gass. “I thought it wasn’t our best effort and kind of disappointing, given everything this team has accomplished this season.”
The local double-A midget team (26-2-3) pounced out to a 2-0 lead in the first after Benoit finished off a textbook two-on-one rush with Kale Clouston and Kelton Travis, beat three Stamps down the ice, tried to stuff in a wrap-around attempt, only to have the rebound kick out to Brady Skiffington for his ninth goal.
Riley Stovka was solid in net, turning away 32 shots, as his record moves to 11-2-1.
“We should have lost that game if it wasn’t for his effort in net,” said Gass.
The Chiefs returned to their winning ways the following afternoon in Calgary when they trimmed the 7-3-5 CBHA Blackhawks 3-1 at the Max Bell Centre #2.
Ryan Bell sniped a pair of goals with Kale Clouston picking up the insurance marker from netminder Ty Tarvyd, who recorded 27 saves, improving to 13-0-2.
The Chiefs host the CBHA Rangers (11-2-1) Feb. 17 (7:30 p.m.) at the Strathmore Family Centre, and take on the Foothills Bisons (3-26-2) the following evening at the Tom Hornecker Recreation Centre.
Braves notch a win and a tie
It was a productive weekend for the local double-A peewee Braves squad, as they picked up a win and a tie in a pair of games over the weekend.
Philip Raycroft pulled the hat trick as the Braves dusted off the 12-11-5 Taber Golden Suns 5-3 Feb. 10 at Hussar Arena.
Josh Alberda finished with a goal and two helpers, while Cyle Clayon registered three assists, Tyler Fairbairn supplied two assists and Ryder Many Grey Horses notched the winner on the power play in the third.
A three-goal second period helped the Braves come back to tie the Red Deer Parkland Transmission (16-8-4) 4-4 Feb. 11 at the Dawe Centre.
Trailing 3-0 midway through the second, consecutive goals from Many Grey Horses (short handed), Carter Gosling and Raycroft set the table for the third period. Tate Yule buried his fifth on the power play to tie the game at the 9:43 mark of the third.
The Braves take on the Chestermere Lakers (11-12-5) at the Chestermere Regional Community Association Red Rink Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. On Feb. 19, they battle the Airdrie Lightning Red (6-19-3) at the Genesis Place Rink.
Warriors edged out
If the Wheatland Warriors could have scored one third-period goal over the weekend, things might have gone differently.
The local double-A bantam team was edged 2-1 by the Lethbridge Hurricanes (16-8-4) in a tightly contested affair Feb. 10 at the Strathmore Family Centre.
The Hurricanes led 2-0 into the second when Nolan Bailey chipped in his 14th from Adam Kirkpatrick and Mitch Tessemaker. Corey Ross made 27 saves, but the Warriors couldn’t find the back of the net in the third period.
Two days later at the Tom Hornecker Recreation Centre, the Warriors (9-16-4) and the division-leading Okotoks Oilers (17-5-7) skated to a 2-2 tie.
Kirkpatrick opened the scoring from Bailey and Tessemaker in the first. With 2:02 remaining in the second, Bailey found the back of the net from Jarred Schrock and Tessemaker.
Only one game this weekend for the Warriors: they host the Taber Golden Suns (19-8-2) Feb. 19 at the Strathmore Family Centre. That one is set for 12:15 p.m.