Stettler Lightning kept improving their Heritage Junior B Hockey League record with another impressive 6-3 home win against Ponoka Stampeders last Friday, Oct. 22.
With exception of a brief period in the second quarter, the local boys dominated the rink for much of the play time, imposing their pace and game plan on the opponent.
The first goal of the game came from Stettler’s Mitch Finkbiner in power play, when he shoveled the puck into the Ponoka net with a backhand movement in 17th minute of the first period.
Early in the second period, Cam Wright scored once again for the Lightning and Finkbiner followed just in seconds to make it 3-0 but Ponoka responded with two goals within three minutes making the score 3-2.
When the third period started, the Lightning had clearly had set its pace and determined to win the game.
In the seventh minute of the third period Brett Oulette added another point to the scoreboard and although Ponoka made an attempt to catch up with the hosts with another goal in the eighth minute, Reese Anheliger and Cam Wright made sure that the visitors would go home empty-handed.
The Lightning head coach Doug Smith was obviously happy with the outcome.
“We started to shoot the puck to score goals, for a change. It was kind of nice,” he said.
“In our last three goals, we took advantage of what was given to us and made the best of it. It was nice to see.”
Smith added that their game plans now appeared to be working well and what was needed was that they would stop making the small but costly mistakes.
“Now we are making team mistakes, they are individual,” he said.
“Our penalty kill has been very well, too.”
The Lighning now play Strathmore Wheatland Kings and Cochrane Generals in two consecutive home games on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 29 and 30.
Smith said Cochrane Generals would be a challenge like always but that Wheatland Kings would be a tough team to read.