Minor hockey report
Joe McWilliams
Lakeside Leader
U18
The Thunder finished off their season – the last one in minor hockey for several team members – with a pair of 5 – 3 losses to Westlock.
The first was on Mar. 5 in Slave Lake; the second was on Friday, Mar. 10 in Westlock.
The score in the second game actually flattered the Thunder, who – if the shots on goal were accurately recorded – could have lost by a lot more. But Salah Baalbaki stood on his head in the Slave Lake net, stopping 53 shots.
Scoring the Slave Lake goals were Kristopher Courtorielle, Jethro Green and Koltin Davis.
U15 #1
The Thunder’s playoff run came to an end in Drayton Valley on Saturday, with a 6 – 2 loss to the hosts. Drayton won the best-of-five series three games to one. They move on, and Slave Lake is done for the season.
It was a pretty good season for the group coached by Sheldon Ghostkeeper. They won more than they lost all season, but Drayton was just a bit stronger.
In Saturday’s game, Grayson Conrad and Arnold Broadfoot scored the Slave Lake goals. Grady Beauchamp had to deal with 59 shots on goal in the Slave Lake net.
U15 #2
This team had playoff games against Smoky Lake on Thursday, March 9 and in Bruderheim Sunday against Elk Island #1. They lost both – 10 – 6 and 8 – 2, for an overall playoff record of four losses and two wins.
Against Smoky Lake, Chase Blanchette (2), Colby Campbell, Jaden Dunlop, Evander Pawliw and Chase Mountain scored for the Thunder. Andrei Angelescu made 47 saves in net.
Sunday’s game was another one with over 50 shots against for the Slave Lake goaltender. It had a lot of penalties as well. Blanchette and Pawliw scored for the Thunder. Nathan Boucher saw 54 shots in the Slave Lake net.
U13 #1
Drayton Valley was undefeated in the regular season and showed why, beating the Thunder twice on the weekend. Saturday in Drayton it was 5 – 4; Sunday in Slave Lake the score was 5 – 0 for the visitors.
Slave Lake scored the first and last goals in Saturday’s game, but came up one short. Connor Beauchamp, Nolan Beaupre, Eric Martin and Colby Churchill got the Thunder goals. Isaiah Brown, as always, played between the pipes and stopped 37 of 42 shots.
On Sunday, the shots were almost even, but the Slave Lake shooters just couldn’t solve Drayton goalie Casen Linquist.
U13 #2
Slave Lake’s final two games of a six-game playoff round were against CR 2 on the weekend. They won at home on Saturday and tied the game in Calahoo on Sunday, thus winning the two-game, total-goal contest and earning bronze medals.
Saturday’s barn-burner ended 7 – 6 for the Thunder. Jackson Pretty and Ryland Eben-Ebenau each scored twice for the winners, with Ethan Albert, Ansen Cuthbert and Addison Gauchier contributing one apiece. Jake Courtorielle had a four-assist game. Hadley Knutt stopped 26 shots for the win.
Sunday’s game in Calahoo saw the lead going back and forth. The Thunder led late in the third on Courtorielle’s second of the game, but CR was able to tie it up, at 7 – 7.
Viktor Doetzel also scored a pair for Slave Lake. Albert, Christiaan Vennings and Eben-Ebenau also scored. Knutt made 19 saves.
U11 #1
The Thunder lost their third of four scheduled playoff games in Drayton Valley on Saturday, by a score of 10 – 1. Sunday the teams were due to play again in Slave Lake, but it likely didn’t happen.
Maxwell Pothier was the lone goalscorer for the Thunder. In net, Noah Eben faced 69 shots.
U11 #2
This team played Onoway twice on the weekend, losing both. Their playoff run started with a pair of victories, followed by three losses. Onoway won 4 – 1 on Saturday and 10 – 4 on Sunday.
In Saturday’s game, Bowen Baird-Blachford scored the only Slave Lake goal. Jayden Dick made 25 saves for the Thunder.
On Sunday, the game was tied 4 – 4 after two periods, but Onoway ran away with it in the third. Scoring for Slave Lake were Arianna Price, Logan Persson, Jonathan Okemow and Jack Oostvogels. Dick faced 37 shots in goal for the Thunder.
