After finally winning for the first time in 10 games, the Stettler Lightning slipped back into their losing ways in Heritage Junior Hockey League action on the weekend.
The Lightning lost 7-1 to the host Okotoks Bisons on Sunday, four days after dumping the last-place Ponoka Stampeders 8-2.
On Sunday, the Lightning dropped to 3-9-0-1 and remain sixth in the seven-team Northern Division.
Wyatt Haustein was the lone Stettler scorer against Okotoks, which got a 30-save effort from Alex Bilton and two goals from Phil Dillon.
Simon Thieleman made 45 saves for Stettler, which lost veterans Gavin Brandl and Tyson Glazier because of third-period fisticuffs.
Okotoks (14-2-1-0) is atop the seven-team Southern Division.
Last Wednesday, the Lightning ended a nine-game winless skid when they routed the hometown Stampeders.
Reese Anheliger, with four points, and Connor Doucette each scored two goals for Stettler, which broke open a 1-1 game with four straight goals in the second period.
Landon Potter and Kyler O’Connor each added a goal and two assists, while Haustein and Steve Blacklock each picked up three assists. Scott Ternes and Jacob Schwarzenberger scored the other Stettler goals.
Coleman Waddell made 22 saves for the Lightning, who fired 62 shots at two Stampeder goaltenders — Dallas Varey and Elli Falls.
Cole Pritchard scored both goals for Ponoka (1-13-0-0).
After a four-game road swing, the Lightning were scheduled to return home last night to face the Blackfalds Wranglers (9-2-2-0) in a game that was played after the Independent went to press.
The Lightning were without their captain, Glazier, for that game. He received a one-game suspension for picking up a game misconduct in the final 10 minutes of Sunday’s game.
Stettler is back on the road this weekend for games Friday night against the Three Hills Thrashers (8-5-0-1) and Sunday afternoon against the Banff Bears (1-11-1-1).
Dylan Houston of Stettler scored two goals on Saturday as Three Hills edged the visiting Strathmore Wheatland Kings 5-4. Another rookie from Stettler, Jacob Hamel, netted a power-play goal for the Thrashers. Castor’s Aaron Neumeier assisted on Hamel’s goal, which evened the score 4-4.
After scoring his first goal of the season Saturday, Hamel scored again Monday night in the Thrashers’ 4-2 loss to the host Red Deer Vipers (6-0-3-2).