Yellowfly lights red lamp multiple times

Tyler Lowey
Times Reporter

 

Wheatland Warriors captain put the team on his back this weekend during South Central Alberta Hockey League action.
For his first act, Kage Yellowfly scored the winner Feb. 25 with 50 seconds remaining in the third, ending a six-game winless skid.
In his encore performance, Yellowfly pulled an Auston Matthews, finishing with four goals in the Warriors 6-4 dumping of the Cranbrook CPC Hornets in the blue arena at the Strathmore Family Centre.
“He was firing on all cylinders,” said Warriors head coach Cody Brown. “He always is for us. He brings good momentum into the rink and he got the ball rolling for us once again today.”
Austin Kuryk put the Warriors in the driver seat early, sniping his 10th on the year just eight seconds off the opening faceoff.
Nearly 10 minutes later, after a failed two-on-none rush for the Hornets, Yellowfly came storming down the ice, snapping a wrister from just inside the blueline, burning Tyden Wilson over the blocker.
In the second, Nolan Bailey fired wide of the net while shorthanded. Fortuitously, the puck careened off the end boards, right to Yellowfly for the easy tap in.
With 2:35 remaining in the second stanza, Zach Stangness did a great job keeping the puck in at the blue line on the power play. He sent it to Adam Kirkpatrick and Bailey, who worked down low, spotting Yellowfly out front for the one timer, stretching the Warrior lead to 4-1.
One thing that has been plaguing the Warriors down the stretch was their play in their own zone. Entering the second game of the weekend, they have allowed four or more goals six times in their past eight games, going 0-6-2 during that stretch.
Zach Nicholls sniped his sixth on the campaign while on the power play from a nearly impossible angle along the goal line.
The local double-A bantam team held the Hornets to three goals for nearly the entire game, but allowed the fourth marker with 7.2 seconds remaining in the third. It’s something that is still nagging at their head coach.
“There were still issues tonight,” said Brown. “We had problems getting pucks out of our zone. There are things we need to sure up in our D zone. The more time we don’t spend in our own end, the better.”
The Hornets added a pair of powerplay markers in the latter half of the third, before Yellowfly buried his fourth into the empty net.
One night earlier, Yellowfly netted the winner in crunch time from Kirkpatrick and Bailey, lifting the Warriors to the 4-3 victory against the Foothills Bisons Feb. 25 at the Strathmore Family Centre.
Bailey picked up one goal and two other assists, Kirkpatrick sniped a pair of goals to go with his helper and Nicholls netted a goal with 2:03 remaining in the first period.
The Warriors wrap up their regular season with a pair of home games at the Strathmore Family Centre. First, they host the Bow Valley Timberwolves March 3 (7:30 p.m.), followed by a tilt with the Airdrie Lighting March 5 at 4:15 p.m.

 

CHIEFS TAKE TWO FROM OKOTOKS
The midget Chiefs swept a pair of games from Okotoks over the weekend.
First, they brushed back the Okotoks Oilers Black 4-1 Feb. 26 at Murray Arena in their second-last regular season game.
Riding a 15-game point streak, the Chiefs popped in the winner when Robert Butterwick answered with his 12th of the season, 41 seconds after the Oilers tied things at one in the first period.
Riley Romashenko and Tyler Skehar added power play tallies, Brady Skiffington registered his 10th on the season and Chayse Hnatowich chipped in with a pair of assists.
Ty Tarvyd was magnificent in net, turning away 36 saves for his 15th win.
The Chiefs cranked the Okotoks Oilers Green 7-1 Feb. 25 at the Strathmore Family Centre.
Isaac Benoit notched a hat trick by the end of the second period; Hnatowich recorded a goal and two assists, with single markers coming from Kelton Travis, Wacy Sandum and Ryan Bell. Riley Stovka made 23 saves to scoop up his 13th win.
The Chiefs close out the regular season on home ice March 4, when they host the Central Alberta Selects at the Strathmore Family Centre. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m.

 

BRAVES BLANKED AT HOME
The Wheatland Braves were blanked 4-0 by the Lethbridge Hurricanes Red Feb. 26 at the Strathmore Family Centre.
It marked the first occasion where the Braves were held off the score sheet this season.
Rhett Harten was under siege in net, facing 37 shots.
The local double-A peewee team concludes their regular season this weekend with a pair of home games. First, they take on the Cranbrook Wings March 3 (7:30 p.m.) at Hussar Arena. The following day, they Braves tango with the Central Alberta Selects at the Strathmore Family Centre (4:45 p.m.) in the regular season finale.