The Stettler Lightning started its regular season with an aggressive push against the Medicine Hat Cubs on Saturday, Sept. 26, lapping the home team to finish the night with a 10-5 score.
The first period belonged to the Lightning, though both teams played carefully, avoiding the penalty box. Linden Heidecker was the first to score, three minutes into the first, but the rest of the period remained scoreless for Stettler until the last minute, when Derek Muhlbach brought the score to 2-2 for Stettler.
The Lightning struck quickly in the second period, with Logan Davidson scoring a minute in, followed a minute later by Muhlbach, and a minute later by Steven Fletcher.
Trying to keep up with the faster, more agile Lightning, the Cubs started to hit hard, and as a result, found themselves frequently in the penalty box. This worked out in Stettler's favour, as with about five minutes left in the second, Dylan Houston capitalized on a power play advantage to bring the tally to 6-4.
The Cubs struggled to keep up with the Lightning, but at the start of the third were well behind the visiting team on shots on net, with only 19 to Stettler's 40.
The third period was much the same for the team, with goalie Taylor McLaughlin keeping all but one of Medicine Hat's eight shots on net well away from crossing the line.
Keiran Rost scored two goals in the third, first just shy of four minutes in, and then again about 11 minutes after the start of the period. Houston, a power play killer, scored yet another power play goal for the team, bringing the score to 9-5. DJ Kistner finished up the game for Stettler, scoring the tenth goal of the night with two minutes remaining.
Stettler next plays in Coaldale on Friday, Oct. 2 at 4 p.m., with its season home opener against the High River Flyers the next day at 7:30 p.m.