A victory today by the St. Albert Sabres would force a third and deciding game against the SSAC Southgate Lions in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League playoffs.
Puck drop is 3:45 p.m. at Akinsdale Arena.
If needed, game three is Sunday at 4 p.m. at the George S. Hughes South Side Arena.
The Lions lead the best-of-three north conference quarter-final series after winning Tuesday’s opener 3-2 in double overtime at Coronation Arena.
David Quenneville’s second goal of the game 1:22 into the second 10-minute extra period ended the suspense.
The Lions scored twice in the first period and Stephen Wack and Curtis Peck replied in the middle frame. In net for the Sabres was Pat Dea.
After regulation time the teams played 10 minutes of sudden death before the ice was flooded for the second overtime period.
In the nitro division the Lions (26-4-3) placed first and the Sabres (18-8-7) were fourth.
In league play the Sabres finished 2-2-1 against the Lions after Sunday’s 10-0 loss in the last game before the playoffs.
The series winner will play the second-place Sherwood Park Flyers (24-6-3) or the third-place CAC Canadians (21-9-9-3) in the best-of-three north semifinals.
Game two in the Capital Junior B Hockey League playoffs between the St. Albert Merchants and Edmonton Mustangs goes Sunday at 8 p.m. at Bill Hunter Arena.
The west division’s best-of-three qualifying round started Friday in St. Albert but the score was unavailable at press time.
The third and deciding game is Tuesday at 8 p.m. at Akinsdale Arena.
In the west standings the fourth-place Merchants (19-15-4) finished two points ahead of the Mustangs (18-16-4). In the season series the Merchants beat the Mustangs twice in four games.
The series winner plays the first-place Beverly Warriors (24-11-3) in a best-of-five quarter-final.
The Merchants finished league play with three losses in a row while going 4-5 after head coach Richard Hebert was replaced by Clint Wandler.
The last game for the St. Albert Raiders before the Alberta Major Bantam Female Hockey League playoffs is Monday against the Edmonton Lightning.
Face-off is 8:15 p.m. at Mark Messier Arena.
The Raiders (17-4-4) and Lightning (13-6-4) are ranked first and second, respectively, in the north division.
Last month the Lightning beat the league-leading Raiders 6-4 in Edmonton.
In the playoffs the Raiders have a first-round bye and their best-of-three north semifinal series starts March 5.
Last year the Raiders were eliminated by the Grande Prairie Storm in the north semifinals.
