CANORA - With players from Canora, Norquay, Preeceville, Sturgis, Kamsack and Buchanan, the U15 Highway 9 Predators went down to defeat against Carlyle in two straight games in their first-round provincial series. But the Predators found success in the first round of the Major Hockey League playoffs, defeating the Yorkton Med Shoppe Terriers, also in two straight games.
The provincial series began on Feb. 22 in Canora with the Predators 小蓝视频 soundly thumped 8-0 by the Carlyle Cougars. The second game in Carlyle on March 2 was more tightly contested, but the Cougars still came out on top 7-5 to win the series.
“Game 1 was somehow the worse game of the season for us,” said Preds Coach Terry Demchuk. “It seemed our team did not believe we deserved to be there at that level.
“In Game 2 we started OK but had a few breakdowns and Carlyle capitalized on every one of them. At the first intermission we went over the game plan of how to combat their systems by just executing and we outplayed them in the second and outscored them 4-2, even with a goal not recognized with three seconds left in the period. The third period ended with a goal each and we couldn’t get any traction as there were many penalties on both sides.”
Goal scoring statistics for the Preds were not available for the Carlyle series.
In the first-round series of league playoffs, the Preds won two very different types of games by scores of 2-1 and 9-5.
Game 1, played in Saltcoats on Feb. 23, was dead even after a scoreless first period. Shots on goal were 12-10 for Yorkton, “I felt we got outplayed,” said Demchuk.
“Our team then responded with shots of 47-3 the rest of the way for us but our quality of chances were low, and we squeaked out a 2-1 victory.”
Gavin Ericson of Preeceville scored the opening goal for the Preds, unassisted. The second goal, the game winner, came from Zarin Godhe of Buchanan, with assists from Kasen Heshka of Canora and Levi Coleman of Sturgis.
Game 2 in Canora on Feb. 27 saw much more success for the goal scorers on both teams, with the Preds earning a 9-5 win to wrap up the series. This was after a frustrating first period for the home team with Yorkton holding a 2-0 lead.
“Game 2 saw us again have a slow start with sloppy play in our own end and a lucky play on a power play for them, an own goal on us, to end the period,” said Demchuk.
The flow of the game changed drastically in the second period, with the Preds scoring seven unanswered goals.
“Again, between periods we reaffirmed what would be required and drastically outshot Yorkton, dominating play with good chances.
“Yorkton was able to get a couple of late goals to make it closer in the third period, but the two solid periods were enough to punch our ticket to the semifinals in two straight games,” said Demchuk.
The nine goals scored by the Preds in Game 2 came from seven different players. Emmett Demchuk of Canora and Nate Korpusik of Norquay led the way with a pair each. Gavin Erickson of Preeceville was tops in the points parade with a goal and three assists. Other goal scorers were Shiloh Leson of Canora, Zarin Godhe of Buchanan, and Ethan Balawyder and Carter Moekerk of Preeceville.
The Preds now move on to face Moosomin in the second round. The Preds finished just one point ahead of the Rangers in the regular season standings, so this promises to be a tightly contested series.
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