Stettler Lightning won one game and lost another last week with head coach Doug Smith expressing optimism that his players are getting better as the season progresses.
The Lightning lost in Medicine Hat 2-4 to the Cubs on Friday night, Oct. 9 but won 6-0 the next day against Strathmore.
In the first game, the host team opened the scoring in the 13th minute of the first period with the Lightning scoring the equalizer just five minutes later when Jeff Kohut converted an assist from Claye Spady.
The Cubs then scored in the 11th minute of the second period to make it 2-1 and then again in the first and and 15th minute of the third period.
The Lightning kept clinging to the game and scored their second in the 18th minute sealing the score.
“We didn’t acquire enough space for ourselves and we let them dictate the pace of the play and with physicalness of the hockey game, we did not have the space to move the puck and do the things we do well,” said coach Smith.
He praised goalie Garrett Landler for his great effort in that game.
“We were bombarded in the second period, if it wasn’t for Garrett, it could have been much worse,” he said.
“He played very. very well.”
As for the game in Strathmore, “We were more ourselves again,” said Smith of the convincing win.
“Being on Olympic-size ice, we moved the puck very, very well, we had more room to navigate, we supported the puck very well on our own end and supported the puck carrier when we had to.”
“We took the advantages of all the chances we had. We scored a couple of power-play goals as well,” said Smith.
The coach said they were still going through a learning process.
“We still have to work hard for 60 minutes.”
Claye Spady, Lanny Duncan, Adam McDavid, Jordan Vincent and Mitch Finkbiner scored the goals in Strathmore.
As the Independent went to press, the Lightning were playing against Red Deer on home ice.