Raiders home opener
Saturday’s pre-game ceremony at 8 p.m. for the midget AAA home opener at Akinsdale Arena will honour the St. Albert Raiders Hockey Club alumni who lost their lives in the Humboldt Broncos’ tragedy.The St. Albert Nektar Data Systems Raiders and Leduc Oil Kings will face off at 8:35 p.m. after the ceremony that will include raising of the Humboldt Strong banner dedicated in memory of Logan Hunter, Jaxon Joseph, Conner Lukan and Stephen Wack.
Parents or family representatives of the four players are expected to attend the ceremony.
The Edmonton Police Service pipe band will play Amazing Grace after Darcy Haugan, a former Raider and head coach of the Broncos who died in the April 6 bus crash, and the rest of the Humboldt players and their numbers are announced.
At 8:25 p.m. Smitty Kingston, a.k.a. Jay Smith of Kingston, Ont., will perform his Humboldt Broncos’ tribute song Leave a Stick by the Door and will also sing O Canada prior to the ceremonial puck drop.
A bronze stick sculpture inspired by Kingston’s song will be installed inside the arena lobby prior to the game and officially unveiled during the ceremony.
Kingston is also Friday’s musical guest at The Celtic Knot from 8 to 11 p.m. There is no cover charge for the fundraiser in support of the St. Albert Humboldt Broncos Remembrance Initiative.
Merchants split two
Matt Holzer’s second goal in Friday’s regular season debut for the St. Albert Merchants was the winner against the Beverly Warriors.Holzer’s marker at 4:10 of the middle period snapped a 2-2 tie as the Merchants went on to post the 5-3 victory at Akinsdale Arena.
Bryce Strum (power play), Ryan Cooper and Peter Corrigan also scored and Kole Bryks added two assists.
The teams combined for 21 infractions, including some third-period fighting majors, for 102 penalty minutes.
Shots were 39-28 for Beverly, the 2018 Capital Junior B Hockey League finalists and provincial bronze medallists. Beverly also swept the Merchants in the best-of-five quarter-finals.
In Sunday’s 2-1 loss to the Edmonton Mustangs, Corrigan knotted it at one in the first period as the Merchants were outshot 37-33 at Bill Hunter Arena.
Brandon Boughen was in net for the Merchants last weekend.
Friday the Merchants host the rival Morinville Jets at 8 p.m. and Sunday’s game against the Spruce Grove Regals starts at 7:15 p.m. at Grant Fuhr Arena.
Jets drop two
The Morinville Jets are winless to start the Capital Junior B Hockey League season after suffering two losses last weekend.Scores were 4-3 against the Spruce Grove Regals at Grant Fuhr Arena and 2-1 against the North Edmonton Red Wings at Ray McDonald Sports Centre.
Brett Dubuc, a 2018 CJHL first team all-star forward, potted the last two goals of the third period against the Regals, who led 2-0 after 40 minutes with a pair on the power play in the middle frame.
It was 3-0 when Zach Mcrae scored for the Jets and Dubuc’s tally with the man advantage pulled the visitors to within 4-2 of the Regals.
The Jets outshot the Regals 16-5 in the third and 32-28 overall.
Luke Hall was between the pipes and Colton Kuchar drew the start against the Red Wings and stopped 30 shots.
The Red Wings slotted the winning goal on the power play in the third.
Tyler Sonnichsen tied it at one in the second.
The Jets finished with a game-high 36 shots against the team that eliminated Morinville in game four of the best-of-five quarter-finals last season.
On tap Friday for the Jets are the St. Albert Merchants at 8 p.m. at Akinsdale Arena and Sunday’s home game against the Stony Plain Flyers starts at 7:30 p.m.
Sabres start season
The St. Albert Gregg Distributors Sabres will have to wait until Monday to pull off the first win of the regular season in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League.Faceoff is 8 p.m. against the KC Squires at Clareview Arena.
Last weekend the Sabres battled the SSAC Southgate Lions to a 3-3 draw at Akinsdale Arena and lost 6-0 to the host Sherwood Park Flyers.
Declan Dika sniped the equalizer against SSAC with 7:17 to play.
Zack Makeiff, one of two returning Sabres from the 2018 provincial finalists on the roster, tallied twice in the second period.
Shots were even at 30 apiece and Teagan Kendrick was in net for the Sabres.
Luke Roberts stopped 21 shots against the Flyers, who potted four goals in the opening period. The Sabres were credited with 19 shots.
Meanwhile, the Sabres play the Team Alberta U18 females in exhibition action Friday at 8 p.m. at Go Auto Arena.
