Sunday, the St. Albert Merchants and Edmonton Royals hook up in the Capital Junior B Hockey League.
Faceoff is 8 p.m. at Confederation Arena.
The Merchants (15-5) and the North Edmonton Red Wings (14-4-2) were tied for first in the west division before they squared-off Friday at Akinsdale Arena. The score was unavailable at press time.
The Royals (12-7-1) were ranked second in the east standings and one of their losses was 3-1 to the Merchants early in the season at St. Albert.
The last game for the Merchants was a penalty-filled 4-3 victory over the Spruce Grove Regals (5-13-2) at Grant Fuhr Arena.
The Merchants outscored the Regals 3-1 during a rough and tumble middle frame to lead 3-2.
Mitch McNamara’s second goal of the night and eighth of the season drew a 3-3 tie with 14:35 remaining.
Mike Roeleveld and Braeden Farge also scored and Josh Jewell added two assists.
Shots were 42-38 for the Merchants and Ty Clelland (10-1, 3.00 GAA) posted the win in net.
The St. Albert Gregg Distributors Sabres hope to get back on track in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League after two losses in three days in Sunday’s game against the SSAC Southgate Lions.
Puck drop is 5:45 p.m. at Millwoods Arena.
The Sabres (9-6-3) are coming off identical 3-2 losses to the Spruce Grove PAC Saints (10-6-2) Tuesday and the Sherwood Park Flyers (12-2-3) Thursday at Akinsdale Arena.
Brady Nicholas scored twice against the Saints and Martin Rudolf and Garrett Clegg lit the lamp against the Flyers.
The Sabres were outshot in both losses.
The Flyers, Lions (11-4) and Sabres are the top three teams in the nitro north standings.
The four divisions in the 16-team John Reid Memorial Tournament have been finalized for the 37th annual bantam AAA competition.
The host St. Albert Gregg Distributors Sabres are in the B division of the John Reid Conference with the Winnipeg Warriors, Colorado Thunderbirds and the defending champion Okanagan Hockey Academy.
The A division consists of the Anaheim Jr. Ducks, Calgary Bisons, Delta Hockey Academy Wild and Sherwood Park Flyers.
The Jarome Iginla Conference consists of the Dallas Jr. Stars Elite, SSAC Southgate Lions, Calgary Flames and North Shore Winter Club Hawks, last year’s third-place finishers and 2013 champions, in the A division.
The B division features the Yorkton Terriers, Burnaby Winter Club Bruins, the Calgary-based Edge Academy and the Los Angeles Jr. Kings, last year’s finalists.
Visit www.johnreidmemorial.com for the 42-game schedule for the Jan. 15 to 18 competition at Servus Credit Union Place.
