Strong start by Sabres

The St. Albert Sabres started play in the John Reid Memorial Tournament with a perfect 2-0 record.

In the first game Thursday, the host team squeaked out a 2-1 victory in a tightly contested affair against Red Deer Rebels White at Performance Arena.

With the final shot tally at 24-19 in Red Deer’s favour, the Sabres were happy to walk away with the win.

“The first game was awesome. Red Deer is a very good hockey team. The two teams match up well. We play similar styles, on the walls and in the trenches,” said head coach Umberto Fiorillo.

Paul Lovsin scored with two seconds left in the first period and Tyler Mrkonjic potted the game winner in the third. Jake Kohlhauser assisted on both goals. In net was Patrick Gora.

The Sabres finished the day against the Phoenix Junior Coyotes, who lost their first game 7-0 to the Burnaby Winter Club. Brett Smythe struck twice and added one assist in the 6-1 decision at Performance Arena. The scores were 2-0 after the first period and 5-1 after the second. Steven Canduro, Kohlhauser, Andrew Kary and Mrkonjic also notched goals. Guy Butlin and Michael Buchamer had two assists apiece. Shots were 23-18 for St. Albert. Between the pipes was Patrick Dea.

Having never seen the Phoenix team before, Fiorillo wasn’t sure what was in store for the Sabres.

“We had no expectations but we knew they were going to be a skilled hockey team,” he said. “They’re not used to the 60-minute games, they only play 45 minute games, so part of our game plan was to make sure we got pucks in and worked the cycle and we wore down their defence.”

The Coyotes, who only recently started up a bantam AAA team in the Phoenix area, chose to enter the tournament in order to get some of the players noticed by the junior ranks, according to head coach, Jason Wright.

“Our goal is to move some of these kids along. It’s very important to give them a chance to get seen up here by WHL scouts. Some have aspirations to play beyond and they are receiving that chance to get seen where they don’t get a lot of that all the time,” he said.

The Sabres concluded round robin action Friday against Burnaby, last year’s tournament finalist. The winner would finish first in the Freson Bros. division. The score was unavailable at press time.

Win or lose Friday, the Sabres will compete in the A-side playoff bracket in the 16-team draw. They play today at 8 a.m. at Performance Arena or 8:15 a.m. at Mark Messier Arena against either the first- or second-place team in the Skybox Grill division. A victory would send the Sabres into the semifinals at 1:45 p.m. at Mark Messier or 2:15 p.m. at Troy Murray Arena.

Smythe, the game MVP against Phoenix, believes the Sabres have to focus on staying committed as a team to experience success.

“We have to keep playing as a team. We can’t get selfish and just push hard and play like we can,” said the Sabres’ leading scorer in league play, with 37 points in 27 games.

Visit www.johnreidmemorial.com for scores and the playoff schedule in the A, B and C brackets.

The final of the 33rd annual St. Albert bantam AAA tournament is 2 p.m. Sunday at Performance Arena.

The 1983 Territorial Leasing Sabres are the only St. Albert team to win the tournament.

Last year the Sabres finished 3-1-1, including a 2-0-1 showing in the round robin. In the semifinals they lost 9-3 to the Los Angeles Selects, the eventual champions as the first non-Canadian team in tournament history to capture the title.

Daily admission is $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. Children 10 and under get in free. There is no charge for Raiders Hockey Club and St. Albert Minor Hockey Association players with jackets.

Volunteers are also accepting donations to the St. Albert Food Bank.