Sherwood Park – The St. Albert Steel are playing their best hockey of the season despite a losing record in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
"We're competing and we're in every game," said Greg Parks, head coach and general manger of the 4-16-2 Steel. "I would be really concerned if our third periods were our worst period, that would tell me the guys are quitting a little bit, but we seem to get better as the game goes on. We just have to get that first period figured out."
Sunday's 5-3 loss against the Sherwood Park Crusaders was the eighth defeat in 10 games for the last-place team in the north division. The Steel lost two of three weekend games, beating Lloydminster Friday but losing to Spruce Grove on Saturday.
"The scores aren't showing how we're playing, that's for sure," said assistant captain John Baird. "We're a little more confident with each other right now. We're willing to go that extra mile and in due time it will show. It's just one or two periods a game that's really holding us back right now."
The Steel rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the second period Sunday with a power-play goal by rookie Colten Meaver and Baird's successful penalty shot. But a questionable decision to ice the puck with less than 20 seconds remaining in the period resulted in the go-ahead goal by the Crusaders. After winning the faceoff, the Crusaders worked the puck around before Dalton Olsen's point shot through traffic eluded Ty Swabb with five ticks on the clock.
"We had three guys in the shooting lane and it just happened to find the back of the net," Parks said.
In the third period, defenceman Landan Viveiros sniped his first AJHL goal at 1:23 on a great feed by Jamie Johnson. However, 36 seconds later St. Albert product Garth Wallin potted his second of the game to put the Crusaders back on top.
A pad save by Matt Tomkins against Ryan Berlin cutting across the crease late in the game kept the lead intact. The Crusaders added their fifth goal into an empty net.
Despite dressing only 14 skaters, the Crusaders outshot the Steel 36-25.
"We had them the whole way. In my opinion we outplayed them," said Baird.
His team-leading 12th goal and 23rd point halfway through the second made it 2-2. Prior to taking the penalty shot, the 20-year-old centre discussed what move to make with Swabb.
"He was asking what my strengths and weaknesses were. I like my five-hole shot with that quick release. He said, 'Use it if you've got it,'" Baird said. "I went in and looked for the deke, but it wasn't there so I just went for the shot and beat [Tomkins] five-hole."
St. Albert is 0-3-1 against the fourth-place Crusaders (15-5-2).
"I talked to their coach [Tim Fragle] last week and he thought three out of the four games could've easily gone either way and after tonight I think he could say four out of the five," Parks said. "Obviously we came up a little bit short but we're going in the right direction. It's frustrating for sure, but we've got almost two-thirds of our season left to keep getting better."
Rare win
The Steel started the weekend with their second victory in three games. Baird's one goal and three assists led all scorers in Friday's 5-2 decision against the Lloydminster Bobcats in the Border City.
Swabb (2-7-2, 4.12 GAA) was the first star with 40 saves. Shots were 16-3 in the third and 41-15 overall for the home team.
Johnson tallied in the opening minute and Meaver made it 2-0 at 14:23 in the second. Baird and defenceman Jake Rawlins capitalized on the power play with goals 1:44 apart in the third to make it 4-1.
Captain Taylor Fraser rounded out the scoring with a shorthanded effort into an empty net.
"Swabb played excellent. Special teams were really good, too. We only gave up one goal in six opportunities on their power play," Parks said. "It was a good effort and it's not an easy building for us to play in either. We were hoping it would set the tone for the weekend but unfortunately it didn't."
The next night the Steel were outshot 20-2 in the first and 40-21 overall by the AJHL champion Spruce Grove Saints (17-1-4) in the 5-1 loss at Grant Fuhr Arena. Rhys Hadfield (2-9, 4.92 GAA) was in net.
"We got better as the game went on," Parks said. "If you spot a team like that a 3-0 lead it's pretty tough to come back. In this league if you don't show up, and you're not prepared to play for 60 minutes, it will be a long night.
"Give credit to Spruce Grove; they're a good team, no question. They've only lost one game in regulation for a reason but we made it pretty easy for them."
Fraser put the Steel on the scoreboard 30 seconds into the third.
The teams combined for 174 penalty minutes in the fight-filled affair.
The first AJHL team this season to let in 100 goals was outshot in seven out of nine periods on the weekend.
"It doesn't come down to what skilled players you have or don't have," said Baird. "Any team in this league can grind out a win, it all comes down to heart and if you're willing to battle for the guy next to you."
ICE CHIPS: The Steel hosted the Saints on Tuesday, but the score was unavailable at press time.
The next home game is Thursday against the sixth-place Drayton Valley Thunder (10-10) at 7 p.m. at Performance Arena.
All-star centre Reed Linaker hasn't played since Oct. 9 because of a knee injury, but the Steel's fourth-leading scorer with 13 points in 13 games is expected back in the line-up in the next two weeks.
Defenceman Matt Abt sat out last weekend with an undisclosed injury. His older brother, Jordan, played only a couple of shifts in Sherwood Park. The status of the team's top-scoring defenceman was unclear for games this week.
Defenceman David Ahl, 20, made his Steel debut last weekend. The St. Albert product was signed as a free agent after a knee injury curtailed his junior career last season.
"He's been a good fit. His conditioning obviously has to get a lot better. He hadn't played for a while with the injury and didn't have a lot of opportunity to practice with us a lot but he is going to be solid for us going forward," Parks said.
