The Stettler Lightning exceeded expectations in the 2013-14 season, but that performance seemed of little consolation as their season ended last week.
“I kind of figured some of our lack of playoff experience maybe hurt us in the second round,” retiring coach Doug Smith said after the Lightning lost 4-1 to the host Blackfalds Wranglers last Thursday.
Blackfalds also won 4-1 in the best-of-seven North Division final in the Heritage Junior Hockey League.
“In the first round (in a 4-1 series win against the Mountainview Colts), we seemed to come back quite quickly from a down moment in the hockey game and score a goal or whatever to get us back up again, but in the Blackfalds series, you noticed that it’s not only better teams later in the playoffs, but it’s harder to get that ground back again,” Smith said.
“It just felt like we never got that little bump that we needed. In games where we got that bump and got the goal to get us back in the game, we just couldn’t get that second one to give us a little breathing room.”
After losing the series-opener 3-2 on home ice, Blackfalds posted four straight victories — 3-0, 4-3 (in overtime), 2-1 and 4-1.
The Wranglers advance to face the Okotoks Bisons in a battle of the regular-season division champions. Okotoks defeated the High River Flyers 3-2 on the road Monday night to take the South Division final 4-2.
“They had a group that had been there before,” Smith said of the Wranglers.
“I thought, as a whole unit, we did quite well. Our top-end scoring got a little tougher (to accomplish). It disappeared a little bit, and that maybe hurt a bit. But (the Wranglers) seemed to get scoring from their third and fourth lines, as well, and we didn’t get much from the bottom end, either. But those players played well — they hardly got scored on.
“Power-play wise, we were doing good things to get the spots, but just weren’t getting rewarded for it when we got there. Credit to Blackfalds to be able to deny us those chances when we did get in the right spots.”
Lightning workhorse Simon Thieleman provided exceptional goaltending, but the veteran from Castor could only take care of business at one end of the rink.
“Simon had a terrific year — I thought he had a terrific playoff,” Smith said. “We just couldn’t give him that support to help him out with a goal when we needed it.”
Along with the departing Smith, the Lightning will lose graduating forwards Kyler O’Connor and Landon Potter and fifth-year defenceman Cam Wright.
“As for every other player, it depends on the summertime and where the jobs take them,” Smith said.
The 20th-anniversary edition of the Lightning came within two points of winning the Northern Division pennant, which also went to Blackfalds.
Stettler’s lineup was loaded with hometown players and included Castor natives who played parts of their minor hockey in Stettler.
“Some of the younger guys that joined the hockey club this year, they were strong contributors throughout the playoffs,” Smith said.
“That showed we weren’t really relying on two lines. We could run four lines most games and they could all hold their own.
“That’s nice looking forward — that the base is there defensively. And, age-wise, we only lose one D-man on the back end in Cam. That’s a nice place to start from next year.”
Including a couple of long winning streaks, Stettler won 24 of its 36 games in the regular season, renewing interest in junior B hockey in town.
“It truly was a home-grown team,” said Smith, the team’s head coach for the past five seasons and a 30-year coaching veteran.
“I hope that the local kids coming out of midget that are around, give it a try. It’s very competitive hockey, but it’s quite rewarding when they do get into the system and get used to it. It’s a fun way to play.”
It was that much more fun this season as the Lightning enjoyed their first playoff appearance since 2010.
“As I told the guys, the biggest regret that I had was that I didn’t get that group into the playoffs last year,” Smith said. “That would have really helped for this year, when it was our year to really make a run at it. They would have had that playoff experience from the previous year to kind of fall back on and say, ‘OK, that’s what playoffs look like and it has to be played this way.’
“Even my older guys didn’t have a lot of playoff experience. The whole group was one that hadn’t won a whole lot, even through minor hockey, so it was a new step for them.”
As seasons change, Smith will miss the personal connections he’s made with young men in guiding Stettler’s showcase team.
“It was a terrific group to be associated with,” he said. “Some of the guys, I’ve been with for four years, five years in Cam’s case. They’ve seen a lot of hockey games. Cam and those guys are pushing 150 to 160 games at our level.
“There are lots of pluses for going forward.”
In accordance with the plans he announced last summer, Smith, 58, intends to retire as coach this spring. He’s still the general manager and expects to remain involved in the organization in one capacity or another.
“For behind the bench, for sure, this is it,” he said. “I’ll still help with the off-ice stuff, because there’s a lot of that work to do in the summertime.
“But I really do feel it’s time for a new voice. Although the game hasn’t changed a whole lot — and hopefully a guy has adapted a little bit in the last 30 years — but a different voice, a different point of view, is always good to have in any organization.”
The search begins immediately for a new coach, Smith said. “Hopefully, we’ll get it done fairly soon, so by June-ish type of thing, somebody is in place so they can start talking to players.”
With the Heritage league fate of the winless Ponoka Stampeders in doubt, players might become available to Stettler.
“It may benefit Stettler a little bit, with some of the kids that are between the Ponoka and Bashaw area,” Smith said.
“We used to get players fairly regularly from that area.
“And kids east of Castor, we haven’t had too many of them the last little while. So hopefully those kinds of things come about.”
One of the big roster questions for Stettler next season might revolve around the high-scoring line of Dylan Houston and twins Adam and Scott Ternes. They graduate from high school this spring, and opportunities at the junior A and college levels potentially await them.
“I’ve fielded a few inquiries about them, so I’ve passed those on,” Smith said.
“It’s hard to say (what might happen). If they end up at Red Deer College, they would probably still participate (in junior B) and go from there. If they do happen to be around, that’ll be a real plus going forward.
“That gives (the Lightning) a legitimate first line — as good as anybody’s first line. And still very young, at 18 years old.
“They definitely have the talent that I hope gets explored, but that’s up to them ... and wherever life leads them after that.”
Heritage Junior Hockey League
Stettler Lightning vs. Blackfalds Wranglers
Best-of-seven Northern Division final
(Blackfalds wins series 4-1)
Game 5
Thursday at Blackfalds
Wranglers 4 — Bryce Marshall, Wally Samson, Jordan Jakubow, Bryce Boguski (Thomas Isaman, 24 saves)
Lightning 1 — Landon Potter (Simon Thieleman, 20 saves).
Game 4
Tuesday at Stettler
Wranglers 2 — Dalen Kolybaba, Bryce Marshall (Thomas Isaman, 25 saves)
Lightning 1 — Dylan Houston (Simon Thieleman, 32 saves).
—————
Okotoks Bisons vs. High River Flyers
Best-of-seven Southern Division final
(Okotoks wins series 4-2)
Game 6
Monday at High River
Bisons 3 — Brooker Pretty Youngman, Kevan Mikkelsen, Phil Dillon (Brayden Engel, 30 saves)
Flyers 2 — Ryan Midtdal, Matt Pronchuk (Tyler Fornwald, 29 saves).
Game 5
Sunday at Okotoks
Bisons 5 — Zak Johns, Josh Haley, Luke Loomer, Phil Dillon, Mark McLeod (Brayden Engel, 27 saves)
Flyers 3 — Kaleb Burnett, Mitchel Gallagher, Keaton Lackten (Tyler Fornwald, 23 saves).