The Stettler Legion Blues gave up a 5-3 lead in the third period and lost 6-5 to the visiting Ponoka Wolves in midget A Tier 1 action Saturday in the North Central Minor Hockey Association.
Stettler’s record dropped to 1-4.
“I think our inexperience showed in the third and we sat back instead of using our speed to force the issue,” said Blues assistant coach and co-manager Neil McCallum.
“We have only three players returning from last year’s provincial and league championship team (goaltender Jordan McCallum, defenceman Brett Rider and forward Kieran Rost) and we have six first-year midget players. We are getting better every game and the results will come.”
Defenceman Tyler Wagner scored two goals for Stettler, which got singles from Rider, Matt Sylvester and Zach Werebowesky. The Cassidy cousins — rookies Drew and Quade — each picked up a couple of assists.
“We had some good play from our players,” said coach McCallum, whose Blues rebounded from a 3-1 deficit in the second period and scored four straight goals.
“The line of rookies Sylvester, Quade Cassidy and Dylan Pritchard was very effective.”
The Blues were dominated in the third period, as Ponoka outshot Stettler 20-2.
“Power-play goals against and some blown assignments really hurt us,” coach McCallum said.
Jordan McCallum faced 42 shots, while his teammates managed 24 shots on Aaron Lamb.
Ponoka has a 4-3-1 after a busy weekend that also saw the Wolves defeat the Rocky Mountain House Royals 9-3 on Sunday and lose 5-2 to the Red Deer Kings on Friday.
Stettler selects captains
The midget A Blues have named Kieran Rost as their captain. The assistants are Chase Cooke, Brett Rider and goaltender Jordan McCallum.
Up next for Stettler is an 8 p.m. Friday home game against the Innisfail Flyers. The Flyers, with a perfect 6-0 record, lead the eight-team league.
Stettler is in sixth spot, ahead of Whitecourt (0-7).