By TERRY PUGH
The Warman U15AA Wildcats are still holding on to fourth place in the Saskatchewan U15AA Hockey League standings heading into November after splitting a pair of weekend games at home.
The Wildcats downed the South East Oilers 6-4 on Saturday, November 2, but were edged 4-2 by the Prince Albert Pirates on Sunday, November 3.
Camryn Aebig set the tone for the Wildcats in the opening shift of the Saturday game, redirecting a pass from teammate Maclain Ethier past Oilers goaltender Sutton Martinook.
Ethier added a power play goal later that period on a set-up from defenseman Walker Bergen.
The Wildcats made it 3-0 on a goal by Kai Steel with helpers from Kobe Pellack and Arlo Barclay early in the second frame.
The Oilers got on the board midway through the second period on a goal by Mahlon Wiley, but Warman’s Beau Anholt restored his team’s two goal lead before the period was over, scoring with assists from Kobe Pellack and Jesse Scriven.
Walker Bergen scored in the opening minute of the third period on an end-to-end rush (with assists from Beau Anholt and Jesse Scriven), but Emerson Sparvier replied for the Oilers immediately afterward. Not to be outdone, Warman’s Caleb Philp (with assists from Kobe Pellack and Cullen Stephenson) scored shortly afterward to make it 6-2 for the Wildcats.
At that point, the Oilers changed goalies, and that seemed to spark the visitors. The Oilers poured it on in the final ten minutes of the period, with Nathan Whitney and Connor Sauser each scoring to make it 6-4.
Warman goalie Ty Keyowski faced 30 shots while the Oilers’ goalies had 40 shots directed at them.
The Sunday game wasn’t as productive for the Wildcats, as injuries led to a reshuffling of the lines.
They also didn’t seem to have the jump in their step, and had trouble connecting on their passes and clearing the puck from their own end.
Despite out-shooting the Prince Albert Pirates 44-31, the Wildcats were stymied by PA goalie Lucas Czarnota, who turned aside 42 shots.
Warman goalie Kason Peters faced 31 shots from Prince Albert forwards.
Prince Albert took an early 2-0 lead on a first period goal by Burke Whitter and a second period power play goal by Lachlan Vandall.
Warman’s Walker Bergen finally got his team on the board with a power play marker midway through the second period, but Prince Albert didn’t take long to restore its two-goal lead when Burke Whitter scored his second of the game to make it 3-1.
The momentum turned back in Warman’s favour when Kobe Pellack scored on a penalty shot, but once again, Prince Albert responded quickly on a goal by Jordan Labelle to make it 4-2. There was no scoring in the third period.
The Wildcats next game is Tuesday, November 12 at the Rod Hamm arena in Saskatoon where they take on the Saskatoon Stallions.
Their next home games are Friday, November 22 against the NorthWest Wolfpack and Saturday, November 23 against the Saskatoon Bandits.