The Medicine Hat U16AA Hockey Hounds pose with their championship banner in Airdrie after beating the Bow Valley Havoc 4-3 on Saturday to capture the SCAHL championship.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
The Medicine Hat Hounds U16AA hockey team earned the title of provincial champions over the weekend.
After dominating the South Central Alberta Hockey League South Conference playoffs last weekend, the Hounds entered a best-of-three series with the Airdrie-Bow Valley Havoc and swept the North champion with a 2-1 win on Friday and a 4-3 victory on Saturday.
Head coach Chris Gustafson was happy for his team to finish their strong season on top of the SCAHL.
“We always had the belief that we could do it, and throughout the season,” Gustafson said. “Finishing third, our body of work was pretty good throughout the season, but there were a few teams that were very tough to beat. It’s a really good league and a tough league to play in. So for them to come out on top is really satisfying.”
Nolen Sutherland potted both Medicine Hat’s goals in Friday’s win, while Parker McLaughlin stopped 42 shots between the pipes.
Gustafson says neither the Hounds nor Havoc had strong starts in Game 1 but credited McLaughlin’s play in net and timely offence as their advantage.
Grady Ford stepped up with two goals and an assist on Saturday, while Colby Motz had a goal with two helpers and Jaxon Scrivener rounded out the scoring with an individual tally. Adam Ranger helped pave the way to the banner with a 52-save performance in goal.
Gustafson again tabbed the goaltending of Ranger as the difference in the game and in the playoffs as both goalies held them in the games. With the game being decided in double overtime, he says he wasn’t concerned about their stamina given the energy of the game.
“We’re a really good skating team and that was one of our strengths this years is that we were hopefully never getting outworked in that department,” Gustafson said. “I knew the adrenaline of the situation was going to get the boys through and we were fortunate enough to have 20-some seconds left on the power play going into the second overtime. We won the draw, got the puck deep, shot on net and banged in a greasy goal.”
He credits the play of his goaltenders, captain Ford, Motx and Nolan Sutherland for their success as well as the team for working well together. Their next action starts Thursday at provincials held in Calgary.
“As a coach, proud is definitely the best word because all these kids and the dedication that they put in throughout the season and the amount of sacrifices they make just to play at a high level of hockey and to make sure that they’re ready to go for each practice and game, it means a lot to culminate the season with some big wins,” Gustafson said.
U18AA boys
The Medicine Hat Hounds U18AA team had its hopes dashed in double overtime of a championship-deciding Game 3 against the Bow Valley Timberwolves on Sunday.
After opening the SCAHL’s provincial championship series with a 3-2 win on Friday, the Hounds fell 7-3 Sunday before dropping a 2-1 double-overtime heartbreaker on Sunday.
Brennin Wereley and Wyatt Bower both had a goal and an assist in Friday’s win, while Jacob Hazzard added a goal and Silas Currie stopped 36 shots in net.
Bower had three assists in Saturday’s loss. Hayden King added a goal and an assist, while Brandyn Baird and Connor Palmer had individual tallies. Currie stopped 29 shots in the loss.
Statistics from Sunday’s game were not available.
U17AAA boys
South East Athletic Club’s U17AAA Tigers have advanced to the second round of the Alberta Elite Hockey League’s post-season following a 2-1 series victory over the Calgary Flames.
The series win marks the first time in four years SEAC has advanced past the first round.
Medicine Hat jumped to a 1-0 series lead with a 3-2 overtime win last Tuesday before falling 4-1 in Game 2 on Saturday, then clinching the series victory with a 5-1 win on Sunday.
Kellin Hodgson led the offence for SEAC in Game 3 with three assists, while Cash Olson had a goal and an assist. Treyson Girletz, Tate Bowal and Randen Collier rounded out the scoring, while Kayne Wright stopped 36 shots for the win.
Kayden Yeaman scored SEAC’s lone goal on Saturday, while Wright stopped 29 shots in the loss.
Yeaman had two goals in Tuesday’s opening win – including the overtime winner – while Olson again had a goal and an assist. Wright took over the net for Kolter Gans in the first period and stopped 27 shots for the win.
The Tigers advance to face the Calgary Northstars. That series opens Thursday in Calgary at 6:30 p.m.
