The Delisle Chiefs’ exciting brand of hockey has lifted them out of the basement and up the standings of the Bob Dybvig Division of the Prairie Junior Hockey League.
It’s a welcome change from the team’s slow start; a result of injuries and a general lack of experience.
“We only have a few veterans that have actually played a full season under their belts with last season being cancelled,” said Delisle head coach Eric Ditto. “There is a lot of learning to do, especially for the younger guys.
“Experience needs to come, but the determination is there.”
Recent results show the team is starting to gel.
On November 19 and 20 they took on the league’s top team, the Carrot River Outback Thunder, in a pair of games. The Chiefs battled hard in an 5-4 overtime loss in the game played in Delisle. The following night the two teams squared off in Dodsland with the Thunder escaping with a 4-3 win.
The past week saw the Chiefs come away with three wins. On Wednesday, November 24 they defeated the visiting Prince Albert Titans 5-4 in a game determined by shoot-outs.
The following night they defeated the Saskatoon Royals in a 6-5 overtime thriller.
They ended the week with a road trip to Assiniboia where they handily defeated the Southern Rebels 8-2 on Saturday, November 27.
In the game against the Titans the Chiefs had a 4-1 lead in the second period on goals by Kyle Heintz, Mason Engele, Caley Lehouillier and Nic Prediger.
The Titans battled back to tie the game on a natural hat trick by Ben Zultok.
In the shoot-outs, goalie Tyler Peterson was able to stop Zultok; while Delisle went 3 for 3 with goals by Luke Dyer, Kyle Heintz and Chad Westman.
In the game against the Royals at the Rod Hamm Arena in Saskatoon, the Chiefs took an early lead with goals by Shane Collins and Caley Lehouiller.
The Royals tied it up on goals by Damon Vanderlinde and Owen Tallmadge. The Royals took the lead on a short-handed goal by Ronan Rheaume.
Tyson Tusk tied it for Delisle.
Darius Sawatzky restored the Royals’ lead before the end of the second period and Carter Tarnowski increased it with an early third period marker.
Luke Dyer blasted a one-timer on a Chiefs power play to make it a one goal game.
Chiefs goalie Tyler Peterson came up with some great saves to keep the game close, including a stretch where the Royals had a two man advantage.
Coach Ditto had high praise for his backstop.
“He is a battler, a contender,” he said. “He wants to compete every time. He is in there, I know how much he wants to win, and it showed today.”
Shane Collins tied the game with a howitzer of a shot from the top of the face-off circle with four minutes left.
Kyle Heintz netted the overtime winner for the Chiefs.
In the game against the Rebels, Luke Dyer and Easton Ediger scored two goals each, while Caley Lehouillier, Kyle Heintz, Josh Herzog, Adam Bradley had singles for the Chiefs, while goaltender Noah Martens made 26 saves in the win.
The Chiefs’ next home game is 8 p.m. Wednesday, December 1 against the Saskatoon Wesleys.
Delisle will play host to the 2022 Prairie Junior Hockey League All-Star Game. The game will take place on Saturday, January 8 at 7:30pm at the AGT Delisle Centennial Arena.The game will feature All-Star players from the PJHL’s Bob Dybvig North Division as they take on the visiting All-Star players from the PJHL’s Bill Johnston South Division.