CANORA - For anyone who enjoys high-scoring hockey, the Canora Civic Centre was the place to be for the tilt between the Canora Cobras and the visiting Cote Selects on Jan. 20. When all 22 goals had been counted, the Cobras outlasted Cote by the score of 15-7.
The Cobras came out flying and were up 4-1 by the 11-minute mark of the first period. Things were looking good for the home team, but Canora Coach Darren Schwartz wasn’t happy with his team’s play for the rest of the period.
“We sat back bit and let them score a couple of goals,” said Schwartz. “We didn’t play good defence and got away from our game. I knew it would be a tough game against these Cote guys, it always is. They have great forwards who can score goals.”
After Cote closed to within a goal, Scott Mickoski scored on a nice deke around the Selects goalie to give the Cobras a 5-3 lead going into the first intermission.
“We took away their momentum, that was a huge goal for us,” said Schwartz. “In the second period we played a lot better.”
The Cobras doubled their goal total in the second period, and led 10-4 heading into the final 20 minutes. In the third period, Canora stretched the lead up to 15-5, but Cote kept applying the pressure and scored a couple more goals to make the final 15-7.
“They’re a hard team to play against,” said Schwartz. “We had a few lapses and Cote doesn’t quit. We haven’t given up seven goals since our only loss, in the second game of the season. We have to start playing better team defense, which is part of playoff hockey.”
In addition to his big first period goal, Scott Mickoski added five assists for the Cobras. The top goal scorers were Ryley Stefanyshyn and Kody Rock of Canora, along with Cole Rathgeber and Logan Foster, who each popped in two goals. Jake Heerspink contributed a goal and three assists. Other goal scorers for the Cobras were Vaughn Wilgosh and Tanner Kopeck of Canora, Troy Zulyniak, Austin Severson, and Jacob Gulka of Canora who scored his first goal with the Cobras.
The Cobras have a challenging upcoming schedule. The SEHL regular season is winding down and playoffs are coming up, coupled with provincial playdowns getting underway.
“It’s going to be tough for us,” said Schwartz. “We have to stick with our game plan to be successful.”
Canora is on the road this weekend, starting with a trip to Manitoba on Saturday, Jan. 27 to face the Swan Valley Axemen, who handed the Cobras their only loss of the season to this point.
The quest for the provincial championship begins on Sunday in Rosetown against the Redwings.
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