Bulldogs might be stubborn, but they were no match for the Stettler Peewee B team as they headed to Blackfalds this past weekend.
On Nov. 15, the team faced the Blackfalds Bulldogs on their home ice, defeating them 4-2 in a closely fought game.
Ty Dowling netted the first goal against Bulldogs’ netminder D Marcynuik, putting Stettler on the board 1-0. A goal a few minutes later from Blackfalds evened the score and the first period ended in a tie.
Despite several shots on goal by both teams and several penalty play opportunities, neither team managed to eke out a goal in the second period, though Stettler netminder Rayden Baskey made several heart-stopping saves.
Stettler burst onto the ice in the second in an effort to break the tie, scoring just minutes into the period with a goal by Justin Devloo. Eight minutes later, Dowling scored his second goal of the game, giving the Stettler team a comfortable 3-1 lead.
It didn’t remain comfortable for long as just two minutes later, Blackfalds scored while short-handed, narrowing the gap and increasing the pressure on Baskey in net.
Brier Devnich, however, slipped the puck past Marcynuik to bring the score back to a comfortable two goal, 4-2 score, which is where the game finished.
Atom Boys
Stettler Atom A were hosted in Red Deer on Nov. 15 to play the Red Deer Sheratons, losing 14-4. Quinton Hansel and Chance Morbeck scored in the first period, then Bret Hymers and Carter Zuk in the second.
Over in Castor on the same day, Atom B faced the Castor Atom Cyclones, battling it out to an even tie. Yuvraj Uppal scored in the first, Carter Kranzler scored twice in the second, along with a single from Cade Wilkie, and in the third, Zach Forseth scored twice and Brogan Hoopfer netted a single. Kranzler scored his third goal of the game with only 40 seconds remaining in play, taking advantage of a powerplay, to tie the game.
Bantam Boys
The West Yellowhead Rockies headed to Stettler on Saturday, Nov. 15, where they lost 14-2. Stettler Bantam A owned the first and second periods, keeping the Rockies scoreless while racking up points. Adam Shirley and Brenden Tucker both scored in the first, while Kameron Bainbridge netted two and Rhett Shingoose a single in the second, ending the first two periods at 5-0.
It looked like the Rockies were going to continue the painful rout after two goals just minutes into the third, courtesy of Tucker and James Switenky, but then they broke the curse and netted their first, bringing the score to 7-1. Switenky scored two more and Tucker his third of the game, while Carter Van Esch netted his first before the Rockies scored their second goal.
The rout of the visiting team continued, with Switenky claiming two more goals and Shingoose his second, before the buzzer sounded on the game, ending it a painful 14-2.
It was more of the same the next day as the Yellowheads returned to face the Bantam A team, though it was less painful a defeat. Tucker scored first, while Erik Rost and Brayden Smith rounded out the first 3-2 period.
In the second, Bainbridge netted two, one on a power play and one while short-handed, and Shingoose claimed a solo.
Starting the third the Bantam As had a comfortable 6-2 lead, which they extended with goals by Shingoose and Switenky.
Bantam B had a less easy weekend with a Friday game against the 3Cs, narrowly eking out a 6-5 lead. Jackson Squires scored twice in the first period to give Stettler an early lead, which was extended in the second with four more goals, another from Squires, two from Delaney Anderson, and a solo from Nathan Bauer.
The third started 6-3, and Stettler was hard-pressed to keep the hungry 3Cs from their own net. Goalie Jared Lee managed to stop a solid 40 shots made on the net throughout the game, though he let two slide by in the third. However, it wasn’t enough for the 3Cs, who almost managed to come back from the deficit.
Midget Boys
The Stettler Legion Midgets continued their winning ways, having not lost – though they’ve tied – games this season. On Nov. 15 they faced the Jasper Bearcats, winning 9-4 in Jasper.
Andrew Bauman and Quade Cassidy scored twice, while Tanner Steinwand, Kieran Rost and Stefan Du Toit each netted singles.
In the second, Zach Werbowesky and Ethan Rost each scored a single goal in the first and second period, respectively.
The team headed to Edson for a game the next day, winning a nail-bitingly close 3-2.
Edson led 2-1 after the first period, with Matt Sylvester’s goal putting the Stettler team on the board. The second, despite Stettler’s furious attempts on the net, came up empty for both teams.
In the third period, Sylvester netted his second of the game to tie it up, with Du Toit edging the visiting team ahead of the host.
Midget B had a painful Nov. 16 game against the Sundre Huskies, losing 11-2. Their goals came in the third period courtesy of Brendan Pederson and Jeff Ternes.
They recovered for the next game on Monday, Nov. 17 in Forestburg, where they tied the Thunderstars 5-5. Tye Mulgrove and Cole Pedersen scored in the first, which ended in a tie 2-2. Tristen Nixon managed to tie it up again in the second with another goal. Chase McGonigal put the Stettler team ahead for the first time in the third period, but the Thunderstars evened up and pulled ahead. It was looking dire for the Bantam Bs when Brett Coleman slapped the puck past the Thunderstars’ netminder with only 10 seconds left in play, evening the game up to end in a tie.
In Midget C action, Stettler faced the 3Cs on home ice Nov. 14, winning a strong 10-1. Rylan Stefanik, Steven McCrea and Scott Verhoeven each scored in the first period, with Stefanik netting two more in the second. McCrea scored his second of the game, while Tanner McDermand and Tristen Bryce got themselves on the board with a goal each before the buzzer rang on the second.
McDermand and Verhoeven each scored in the third, before the 3Cs got themselves their sole puck in net with just two seconds left in play.
It was less of an easy game on Nov. 15 in Ponoka, where Stettler managed to tie up the game 5-5.
Chase Dolliver and Ryan Mielke scored in the first, and Brycen Bainbridge in the second. In the third, McCrea netted his only goal of the game.
Girls’ Hockey
Stettler Atom girls headed to Daysland on Nov. 16 where they won 6-2. Gabby Heck and Ashley Lang scored in the first to lead 2-1, with Lang netting the second period’s only goal for both teams to extend the lead. In the third, the final tally was reached by another goal by Lang, and singles from Emma Nixon and Megan Zimmer.
The Stettler Peewee girls lost in Wainwright 4-3 Nov. 15, battling back hard against an early 3-0 deficit. Brittany Anderson netted two goals with Brooke Warner taking the third.
Wainwright headed to Stettler the next day, where the girls handed the visiting girls a 3-1 loss, courtesy of goals from Ava Lee, Warner and Willow Sorensen.
The Lacoka Warriors were handed a 4-3 loss on Nov. 16 in Stettler, though they opened the game with the only first period goal. Krysta Froese and Madison Kuefler tied it up and pulled ahead in the second, though another Lacoka goal saw the teams heading into the third with a 2-2 tie.
After the Warriors pulled ahead, Kaccee Ward managed to tie up the game again, while a goal from Kuefler put the local team ahead and kept them there with hard work from goalie Rebecca Bridge.
The Stettler OK Tire Storm Midget girls kept on their winning ways against Leduc with a 4-1 victory. The team has tied once this season and lost no games.
Courtlyn Bardwell and Kelsie Litkie scored in the first, with Miranda Storch and Ashley Sharpe each netting a goal in the second.