Stettler Ligthning did achieve what their coach hoped they would, putting an end to the losing streak and winning two of the three games they played last week.
In their Heritage Junior B hockey league games, the Lightning edged over Ponoka 9-5 on Wednesday, Jan. 20 in an away game, lost by a single goal to Medicine Hat 5-4 in Castor on Friday, Jan. 22 and thrashed Coaldale 9-3 in Big Valley on Sunday, Jan. 24.
Lightning head coach Doug Smith said he was quite satisfied with the renewed feeling of confidence among his players.
“Even though we did have a little setback in Castor on Friday night, we played well and just a couple of mental errors that caught us off, but overall we are carrying speed for a change,” Smith said.
“We made a couple of line combination changes that worked well for us,” he added with reference to the apparently better execution of the game plans by the Lightning players.
“Hopefully, that will keep going.”
Regarding the visibly heightened dedication of his players in all three games, coach Smith said the effort was coming from all the players although he admitted that the four goals scored by Ryan Traynor against Ponoka appeared to fire up all the team and created an additional enthusiasm to score.
Cody Smitten scored twice against Ponoka with Claye Spady, Clayton Herzog and Brett Muhlbach adding one each.
In the game against Medicine Hat in Castor, Lightning played theur hearts out but could not equalize the score in the last period to take the game to overtime.
Orie Speaing, Jeff Kohut, Robb David and Tyson Glazier contributed to the score against Medicine Hat.
As for the make-up game in Big Valley on Sunday, the Lightning dominated the rink from the beginning to the end with the exception of a brief period in the middle of the second when two Lightning players were sent to the penalty box simultaneously, which allowed the Coaldale Copperheads to score.
Cody Smitten scored twice with Jeff Kohut, Gavin Brandl, Orie Spearing, Steve Blacklock, Brett Muhlbach, Myles Rindal and Claye Spady adding one each to the scorecard.
“We are hoping to keep this going,” coach Smith said in reference to Tuesday night’s away game against the league’s top team, the Blackfalds on Jan. 26.
The Lightning will host Three Hills on Friday, Jan. 29 and Cochrane on Saturday, Jan 30 at the Stettler Recreation Center with both games staring at 7.30 p.m.
Following last week’s wins, the Lightning consolidated their third place in the standings where they sit with 20 points, nine wins and 17 losses.