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Midget A Blues win three games in three days

The midget A Stettler Legion Blues made the most of a three-game weekend, winning all three games to strengthen their first-place standing.
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The Stettler Legion Blues receive offence from the likes of Kieran Rost and Logan Davidson.

The midget A Stettler Legion Blues made the most of a three-game weekend, winning all three games to strengthen their first-place standing atop the North Central Minor Hockey Association.

After knocking off Barrhead 3-1 and Hobbema 8-0 at home Friday and Saturday, respectively, the Blues went to Red Deer on Sunday and scored a hard-earned 3-2 victory. Stettler improved its record to 14-2-1.

In Friday’s game, Kieran Rost scored two goals and assisted on captain Parker Cassidy’s power-play marker. Jordan McCallum made 34 saves in the Stettler net.

The Blues kept rolling Saturday at the Stettler Recreation Centre. Brogan Cassidy fired three goals and two assists, and Tyler Stewart also netted a hat trick. Devon Woelk blocked 22 shots for the shutout.

“We had 62 shots against them,” said Stettler general manager and assistant coach Neil McCallum.

“It was the first time since mid-December that we had all our players back in the lineup. It was great to have key guys like David Hanton and the du Toit brothers — Jacques and Stefan — back with us.”

Parker Cassidy added a pair of goals in the win over Hobbema, otherwise known as Maskwacis. In Sunday’s game at Red Deer, Logan Davidson tallied two third-period goals as the Blues edged the King’s Energy Midgets. Stettler defenceman Riley Anderson added a goal and an assist. Red Deer’s Jacob Bottomley scored a late goal to close the gap, but the Blues polished off their third victory in as many days as Jordan McCallum stopped 26 of the 28 shots he faced.

The Blues have lived up to expectations as a premier team this season.

“We’ve had a lot of hard work and good goaltending,” said Stettler assistant coach Lewis Frickelton. “The kids are really dedicated this year. They make sure they get to the practices, and when they come to the games, they come to play. The goalies are psyched — they’re ready to play. It’s just a good team effort.” Despite competing with other sports and facing occasional manpower issues, the Blues have endured — and thrived — just the same under head coach Matt Cassidy.

“This is Tier 1, so they’re here to play hockey,” Frickelton said.

“They put that other stuff aside, for the most part. We’re pretty happy with how dedicated they’ve been.”

One of the kingpins for Stettler all season has been Rost, a small-but-mighty rookie.

“He’s outstanding,” Frickelton said of Rost. “He gives you 110 per cent the whole time he’s on the ice. He never quits. You could be down 9-0 and he’s still trying to get a goal. The kid is phenomenal. Very skilled. And he’s a really nice kid.”

This coming Sunday evening, Stettler visits the Innisfail Flyers in league play.

“We have been categorized as having to go to B provincials, based on our midget numbers in our association,” said Neil McCallum, also a member of the Stettler Minor Hockey Association executive. “We will be playing Viking in the first round of the qualifying for our zone.”