The St. Albert Merchants and Morinville Jets are within striking distance of top spot in the north standings when league play resumes tonight for the junior B teams.
Game times are 8 p.m. between the Merchants and North Edmonton Red Wings at Londonderry Arena and the Jets and Beverly Warriors are at Clareview Arena.
The Merchants (7-3) and Jets (5-3-4) are one point back of the Red Wings (7-3-1), winners of the last two Founders Cup league playoff championships, after Sunday’s wins on home ice. Scores were 4-1 for the Merchants against the Stony Plain Flyers (6-4-1) and 6-1 for the Jets against the Spruce Grove Regals (1-8-2).
Game stats were unavailable at press time.
Friday the Merchants lost 4-1 to the Wetaskiwin Icemen at Akinsdale Arena and the Jets fell 4-2 to the Fort Saskatchewan Hawks (8-2-1) at JRC Arena.
Matt Havens scored and Ryen Papirny (4-1, 2.89 GAA) faced 48 shots in the loss to Wetaskiwin (6-3-1), ranked fourth in the east division.
Tyler Hagel and Dylan Stang found the back of the net against the Hawks, third in the east, and Colton Kucher (2-3, 3.47 GAA) was tested 34 times.
The Merchants and Jets resume their rivalry Nov. 6 in Morinville at 6:45 p.m.
The red-hot St. Albert Gregg Distributors Sabres skate into Thursday’s home game with a 10-game winning streak to start the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League campaign.
Puck drop is 7 p.m. against the Sherwood Park Flyers (4-4-4) at Akinsdale Arena.
The Nitro north division Sabres (10-0) are also the top AMBHL team by one point over the Charger north division Fort Saskatchewan Rangers (9-0-1).
Last weekend in Calgary the Sabres overpowered the Northstars 7-3 and Royals 9-4 of the Challenger south division.
Ethan Leyer’s hat-trick and three assists apiece by Carter Savoie and Ryley Morgan propelled the Sabres past the Northstars (4-6-3).
Austin Spiridakis added one goal and two assists and Ethan Whillans, captain Mike Benning and Marc Lajoie also scored.
Shots were 41-28 for the Sabres and Ethan Barwick (5-0, 1.57 GAA) was in net.
Leyer’s second consecutive three-goal effort and a pair by Matthew Savoie against the Royals (2-8-3) ended the road trip.
Leyer leads the AMBHL in goals with 17 and is third in points with 25.
Tye Pedersen, Matthew Reidy, Tyson Greenway and Morgan potted singles. It was 3-2 Royals after the first period and 4-4 after two periods.
The Sabres were out-shot 18-15 in the first and 37-34 overall. Kyle Nelson (four goals against on 32 shots in 55 minutes played) and Barwick (five saves) tended the twine.
The St. Albert Flyers remain undefeated in the Alberta Minor Midget AAA Hockey League after their fourth shutout and third in four games.
Evan Fradette stopped 23 shots and Blake Sydlowski’s seventh goal of the season was the game winner as the Flyers improved to 7-0 in the north standings in Saturday’s 1-0 decision against the host Camrose Red Wings (1-5-1).
The Flyers have allowed only five goals against with Fradette (4-0, 1.00 GAA) and Ryley Osland (3-0, 0.33 GAA, two shutouts) between the pipes.
Osland faced 33 shots in Friday’s 6-1 win over the KC Centennials (4-3) at Castledowns Arena.
Sydlowski tallied twice and Kye Buchanan, Tanner Fincaryk, Kyle Fulton and Stuart Dovey also scored.
The Flyers and KC face-off again Saturday at 4:15 p.m. at Akinsdale Arena.
Sunday the Flyers visit the Leduc Oil Kings (5-2) at 4 p.m.
The St. Albert Tire Warehouse Raiders host the top and bottom north division teams in the Alberta Midget AAA Hockey League this weekend at Akinsdale Arena.
Game times are 1:45 p.m. Saturday against the Sherwood Park Kings (7-0-1) and 1:15 p.m. Sunday against the Lloydminster Bobcats (1-6-1).
The Raiders (2-5-1) share fifth place in the north after last weekend’s road games against south division teams. Results were 1-1 against the Lethbridge Hurricanes (2-5-1) and the 2-1 loss to the Red Deer Chiefs (5-1-2).
Eddie Gallagher scored against Lethbridge and Aidan Steinke replied against Red Deer.
Shots were 24-23 for the Raiders against Lethbridge and 36-15 for Red Deer.
Mitchell Reidy (0-2-1, 4.29 GAA) and Chris Curr (2-3, 2.39 GAA) were in net against Lethbridge and Red Deer, respectively.
The midget AAA St. Albert Slash are perfect in five games as the top team in the Alberta Female Hockey League.
The Slash posted road wins of 6-1 against the Rocky Mountain Raiders (4-2-1) in DeWinton and 3-0 against the Red Deer Chiefs (1-7) last weekend.
Tyra Meropoulis of Edson notched one goal and two assists against the Raiders.
Stephanie Markowski of Edmonton, MacKenzie Reynolds of Gibbons, Megan Authur of Sherwood Park, Madison Willan of Edmonton and Shyla Kirwer of Sherwood Park also scored.
Camryn Drever of Edmonton faced 22 shots against the Raiders.
Cassidy Maplethorpe of Wetaskiwin struck twice, Kaylee Vader of Sherwood Park tallied once and Meropoulis picked up two assists in Red Deer.
Drever (3-0, 0.50 GAA) stopped 25 shots for the team’s third shutout in four games.
The Slash skate Nov. 5 against the Raiders at 7:45 p.m. at Go Auto Arena.
The senior AA Morinville Kings suffered their first loss of the season Saturday in Bonnyville.
The hometown Pontiacs (4-0-1) capitalized three times on the power play in the 8-3 victory in the North Central Senior Hockey League.
Ashton Pietersma and Travis Duperron scored for the Kings with the man advantage and Cole Cavell’s even-strength marker pulled the visitors to within one of the Pontiacs at 4-3 with 13:15 left in the middle frame.
The Kings (3-1) outshot the Pontiacs 21-8 in the third and 44-33 overall. Ty Clelland (1-1, 5.00 GAA) was in net.
The next game is 8:30 p.m. Saturday against the Whitecourt Wild (1-1) at Ray McDonald Sports Centre.
