NEWS PHOTO James Tubb
Medicine Hat Cubs forward Jesse Klimosko chips up a puck up and over Okotoks Bisons netminder Derrick Ford for a goal in the first period of Game 3 of the HJHL second-round series Friday at the Kinplex. The Cubs scored four goals in the third period to win 6-3, grabbing a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com
The Medicine Hat Cubs grabbed a lead in their second-round series in dramatic fashion Friday night.
A four-goal second period erased a 3-1 Okotoks lead as the Cubs beat the Bisons 6-3 at the Kinplex for a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five second-round series.
The Bisons opened the series with a 4-0 win Feb. 13 and the Cubs rebounded, with a 4-3 victory Feb. 15 to narrow the series to a best-of-three. Head coach Trent Derzaph says the team came together after the first period.
“Our forechecks started going even harder than it was in the first after we went down a couple there, it was just a team effort total all the way around,” Derzaph said.
The Bisons rattled off a pair of quick goals to start the game with a 2-0 lead. Seamus Garagan scored 1:29 into the game and Dryden Harding found twine 5:29 later.
Zephyr Laplante scored at 12:51 for a 3-0 Okotoks lead, prompting a change in the Cubs net. Kayne Wright took over for starter Marlo DeRosa who finished with three saves. Wright stopped all 26 shots he faced in relief. Derzpah says the change wasn’t a wakeup call for the group, just came at the right time.
“They knew that we had Wrighter in there and they just played in front of him,” Derzaph said. “They wanted to turn it around. It was still positive on the bench, don’t get me wrong, but we knew that we just had to wear them out.”
The Cubs got on the board 14 seconds after Laplante scored with Jesse Klimosko chipping a puck over Okotoks starter Derrick Ford for his first of the postseason. Blake Girard and Josiah Jackson had the assists.
Okotoks appeared to score at the buzzer, with a jam play on a loose puck in the crease called a good goal in the moment. The officials huddled up in front of the penalty box and called it back, keeping it a 3-1 Bisons lead after 20 minutes.
The Cubs took advantage of the decision, pouring on four goals in the second period.
Captain Kyle Woolridge scored 2:46 into the period for his first of the postseason, Ethan Burgeson and Hayden King had the assists. A little over 10 minutes later, Jackson tied the game up at 3-3 with his first of the playoffs. Tash Armstrong and Randen Collier had the assists.
Jacob Hazzard put the Cubs ahead for the first time, scoring with 3:27 left in the frame. Makhi Carriere and Wright had the assists on his first of the playoffs.
Woolridge struck again, scoring with 1:02 left in the period for the 5-3 lead after 40 minutes. Burgeson and Jackson had the helpers.
The Cubs held the Bisons at bay through the third period, killing off a late penalty before they iced the win with an empty netter from Mason Osinski, his first goal of the playoffs. Austin Derzaph and Woolridge had the assists as the Cubs’ captain finished the night with a three-point effort.
They’ll hit the road Saturday for Game 4 in Okotoks, looking to get past the Bisons after falling to the South division rival in four of the last five playoffs. Derzaph says they’ll look to duplicate their efforts from Friday.
“Keep it simple, honestly play the same game we played today. Forecheck hard and track back hard,” Derzaph said.
If needed, a decisive Game 5 of the series would go Sunday at 3 p.m., back at the Kinplex.
