Junior B clash Two teams skating in opposite directions face-off Friday in the Capital Junior B Hockey League. Puck drop is 8 p.m. at Akinsdale Arena between the St.
Junior B clash
Two teams skating in opposite directions face-off Friday in the Capital Junior B Hockey League.
Puck drop is 8 p.m. at Akinsdale Arena between the St. Albert Merchants (14-11), winless in two home games last weekend, and the Morinville Jets (16-7-1), winners of four in a row.
The Jets (4.50 goals per game) are second and the Merchants (four goals-against per game) are tied for third in the west division.
Previous results were the 6-5 shootout decision in the Sept. 22 league opener in St. Albert and the 2-1 win Nov. 18 in Morinville for the Merchants.
The Blue Guys are 5-7 on home ice after losses of 10-3 against the Edmonton Royals (13-11-1) Friday and 4-3 against the Edmonton Mustangs (8-14-3) Sunday.
In both games, Ethan Crotty (8-7, 3.78 GAA) and Brandon Boughan (6-4, 4.36 GAA) shared time in net.
The Merchants, 1-3 in the last four games, fell behind 4-0 to the Mustangs after 40 minutes.
Mike Bruni on the power play and a pair by Matt Havens replied for the Merchants.
Havens finished the weekend with three goals and three assists for 13 goals and 35 points in 22 games.
Shots were 13-6 in the third period and 30-28 overall for the Merchants.
In the previous game, the Royals posted periods leads of 2-1 and 6-2 while out-shooting the Merchants 44-32.
Havens, Jack Langenhahn (power play) and Mark Matsuba scored.
The Jets are 9-3 at Ray McDonald Sports Centre after Sunday’s 3-2 comeback victory against the North Edmonton Red Wings (13-8-2).
Lee Gadoury in the second and Scott Woloshyn and Liam Thomas in the third rallied the Jets after the Red Wings struck twice on the power play in the first.
The shot count was 16-11 in the third and 35-26 for the Red Wings as Luke Hall (7-5, 3.98 GAA) backstopped the Jets to their sixth win in seven games.
The Jets were coming off Friday’s 4-1 road victory against the Leduc Riggers (3-21).
Shots were 31-16 for the Jets as Joshua Perrott, Brett Kampjes, Brett Dubuc and Jaron Coles scored in support of netminder Colton Kucher (7-2, 1.60 GAA).
In league scoring, Dubuc is second in goals with 29 and is tied for second in points with 51 in 24 games.
Raiders shining
The red-hot St. Albert Tire Warehouse Raiders are undefeated in 10 games as the top north division team in the Alberta Midget AAA Hockey League.
The Raiders (11-7-4) are sailing along at a 6-0-4 clip after Sunday’s 2-2 draw against the Sherwood Park Kings (9-11-3) at Akinsdale Arena.
Jacob Hiemstra and Blake Sydlowski (power play) scored in the second period to lead 2-1 and the Kings tallied the equalizer at 4:47 of the third.
Shots were even at 29 apiece and Mitch Reidy (7-3-2, 2.04 GAA) of the Raiders was in net.
The day before at Bill Hunter Arena, Hiemstra, captain Mason Rezewski (power play), Cam Aucoin (shorthanded), Stuart Dovey and Aidan West lit the lamp in the 5-3 victory over the Maple Leafs (1-18-3). Aucoin also had two helpers.
Evan Fradette (4-4-2, 1.87 GAA) faced 29 shots while the Raiders directed 36 shots against a pair of netminders.
The Raiders remain the No. 1 defensive team in the north while averaging 2.04 goals against per game which is fourth best in the AMHL.
Jacob Charko leads the Raiders in points with 15 while scoring a team-high seven goals along with Hiemstra and Zach Carlson.
The Raiders have three games remaining before the Mac’s tournament, Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 in Calgary: Saturday against the Canadian Athletic Club (6-14-2) at 5 p.m. at Bill Hunter Arena, Sunday against the Maple Leafs on Raiders Day at 7:30 p.m. at Akinsdale Arena and Tuesday against the Canadian Olympic women’s team (6-4-1) at 7:15 p.m. at Go Auto Arena.
General admission tickets are $10 for the Olympians and are available during the first period of Sunday’s game, as well as at Source for Sports St. Albert, online at
www.raidershockey.ca or at the door on game day starting at 6 p.m.
Storm The Centre
The bantam St. Albert Spartans won the right to Storm The Centre for the Armour Cup tonight at Rogers Place.
The Spartans and CAC Lehigh Cement will face-off at the home of the Edmonton Oilers after accomplishing several online challenges to showcase their will and determination to participate in the Storm The Centre contest for the Armour Cup. Game time is 6 p.m.
Both teams will also spend the day at Rogers Place, starting at 1:45 p.m. with the on-ice practice with Shawn Belle and Mark Fistric of the Oilers Alumni as well as Oilers’ staff members Mike McGinnis and Joel Lenius.
Flyers winning
The St. Albert Flyers are within striking distance of the north division lead while running their undefeated streak to eight games in the Alberta Minor Midget AAA Hockey League.
The midget 15 Flyers (12-3-4) trail the first-place Sherwood Park Squires (14-3-2) by two points after Saturday’s 5-3 victory over the Leduc Oil Kings (7-9-3) at Akinsdale Arena.
Matt Reidy (power play), Mathieu Gautier, Noah Wilson, Ethan Pool and Sean Mitchell scored and Carter Stock added two assists.
Both teams were credited with 25 shots and Matt Clement (5-1-2, 3.38 GAA) of the Flyers was between the pipes.
The Flyers are 6-0-2 in eight games and the team’s home record is 6-1-1.
Ryley Morgan is the top scorer on the Flyers with 22 points and shares the team lead in goals with Maddux Nollski at nine apiece.
On tap for the Flyers are the KC Centennials (1-14-4) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Callingwood Recreation Centre and the Grande Peace Storm (4-9-7) at noon Sunday on Raiders Day at Akinsdale Arena.
