Sabres going good
The St. Albert Gregg Distributors Sabres embarked on a weekend road trip to Grande Prairie as the top team in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League’s north conference.
The Sabres (7-3) are first in the nitro north division and fourth overall in the 20-team AMBHL circuit after Wednesday’s 5-4 result against the Maple Leafs (1-8-1) at Jarome Iginla Arena.
Hayden Selin, Matthew Gomez (power play), Adam Browton, Evan Zazulak (power play) and Ben Costantino scored as the Sabres outshot the Maple Leafs 37-27.
Luke Roberts (4-2, 3.42) backstopped the Sabres to their second win in four games while going 5-0 on home ice.
In league scoring, Carmelo Crandell was tied for fifth place with 16 points and his eight goals led the Sabres before the two-game series with the Grande Peace Storm (5-2-3).
Crandell, Roberts, Ashton Hutchinson and Ben Belyea are returning Sabres from the 13-15-5 team that tied for third in the nitro standings and in the playoffs finished 3-2 as the division finalist.
4A men’s volleyball
The Paul Kane Blues still have a shot at qualifying for the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association 4A men’s volleyball championship after league play ended in Wednesday’s semifinal.
The winner of Tuesday’s match between Paul Kane and the Archbishop Jordan Scots will join the Harry Ainlay Titans and Strathcona Lords at the Nov. 21 to 23 provincials at Jasper Place High School.
First serve goes at 5:30 p.m. in Sherwood Park.
There is also the possibility that a fourth metro Edmonton division one team will qualify for provincials after the Jasper Place Rebels (2-8), the host team for the men’s draw, opted to drop out of the tournament. Last year’s Rebels were crowned league and provincial champions.
Paul Kane (7-4, 26 GW/18 GL) and the ABJ (7-4, 26 GW/19 GL) are coming off playoff losses as the visiting teams. Paul Kane dropped a 19-25, 25-23, 21-25, 21-25 decision to Ainlay (11-0) and ABJ fell 25-21, 19-25, 17-25, 25-21, 8-15 to Strathcona (9-2).
In the last league match before the playoffs, Paul Kane lost 23-25, 23-25, 23-25 to ABJ in Sherwood Park.
The latest ASAA top-10 4A rankings listed Ainlay third, Strathcona seventh, Paul Kane eighth and ABJ is an honourable mention.
Paul Kane’s overall record is 26-11 with nine Grade 12s on the roster, including five returnees from last year’s 2-8 non-playoff team.