Perfect weekend for Yellowhead Chiefs

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Published on Thursday, October 6, 2016

By Eoin Devereux

Neepawa Banner/Neepawa Press

It’s been a perfect start to the regular season for Yellowhead Chiefs. The boys team kicked off the 2016-2017 Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League with a pair of games on the road, while the girls squad opened up defence of its league championship at home. At the end of the weekend, both clubs remained unbeaten. 

The midget boys team’s season opener was in Winnipeg against the Thrashers on Friday, Sept. 30. This was expected to be a very close contest, as these two clubs finished the 2015-2016 regular season separated in the standings by a just a single point.

In the opening period, Yellowhead came out extremely aggressively, putting a tremendous amount of pressure on the Winnipeg defence and goaltender Zachary Bennett. That effort created 19 shots in the opening frame, with a pair slipping into the goal. Jacob Tibbatts opened up the scoring for the Chiefs at the 6:55 mark, while Parker Malchuk notched his first of the season, on a power-play at 13:19. Between those two scores, Winnipeg responded with a goal of its own, to make it a 2-1 score after the first period of play. In the second, the Thrashers tied things up early, scoring at 1:01 of the period. After that goal, both Chiefs goaltender Reese Jones and Bennett settled into a groove and stonewalled the opposition, stopping 18 shots each in the period. Shifting into the third, the teams remained gridlocked at 2-2.

Winnipeg would turn up the pressure in front of Jones in the third, but he was up to the task, stopping all 15 shots he faced. On the other side of the puck, Cole Muir reclaimed the lead for Yellowhead at 8:08, with an even strength goal, assisted by Neepawa’s Braden Gillies. That would turn out to be the game winner, as the Chiefs held on to the 3-2 decision.

The next day, Yellowhead travelled to Morden to meet the Pembina Valley Hawks. In this contest, it would be the home side who struck first, scoring just 3:34 into the opening period. Before the end of the opening period, however, the Chiefs would strike back, as Minnedosa’s Ryan Heino earned his first goal of the young season.

In the second period, Yellowhead took the lead, with a Braden Gillies goal. That was his first goal of the regular season and second point in as many games. Then, late in the third, Parker Johnson ensured another Yellowhead road win, as he scored a pair of goals to ensure the 4-1 victory.

With these early wins, Yellowhead now turns its attention to its own home opener, which is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 7, in Shoal Lake, against the Southwest Cougars. Opening face-off is set for 7:30 pm. After that, the Chiefs will then host the Central Plains Capitals on Sunday, Oct 9. That game will be a matinee and begin at 2:30 pm.

Female Chiefs start season strong

The Yellowhead AAA Female Midget Chiefs began defence of their Manitoba Female Midget Hockey League Championship this past weekend with a pair of home games against the Norman Wild. 

The first order of business was to introduce the 2016-17 Chiefs roster to the great crowd of fans on hand for the home opener in Shoal Lake on Saturday, Oct. 1.  After the introductions, the championship banner and trophy won last season were displayed for the fans and the banner was hung in a special place for the season.  

A very special guest, the Chiefs own super fan, Drillon Beaton, came to center ice for a ceremonial face off with team captain Tatum Amy and Kali Cummings of Norman.  With so many incredible fans that follow the team and supported the girls, it was a special honour to have Drillon drop the first puck of the season.

The game kicked off for the first period and perhaps it was the pre-game ceremony, but the Chiefs were not at their best and struggled through the opening 20 minutes.  Despite firing 16 shots on goal, Yellowhead could not score and struggled to find its game. Early in the second period, Norman would capitalize on the Chiefs struggles and score a power-play goal on a 5-on-3 advantage.  A few minutes later, the Wild scored again to take a 2-0 lead.  Yellowhead seemed to wake up after falling behind and worked their way back into the game.  

Tatum Amy opened the scoring for the home team, as she broke out of the Chiefs’ zone after a nice pass from McKiya Mazur and beat the Norman goalie with a nice shot from the top of the circle.  Sadie Wood tied the game a few minutes later, as she cleaned up a rebound off a Sydnee DeCorby shot.  The Chiefs moved ahead before the period ended, when Cass Lyttle buried a shot with assists from Karissa Cullum and Erica McIntosh. With the early game jitters worked out, Yellowhead put the game away with four goals in the third. The charge was led by rookie McKiya Mazur with two goals and one each from Chiefs’ rookies  Sadie Wood, for her second of the game and Rylee Gluska with her first.  Norman was awarded a goal on a breakaway shot where it appeared that the puck had actually hit the crossbar, but the result was not in doubt as the Chiefs took the 7-3 victory.

    The two teams would be right back on the ice the next day with a 12:00 p.m. game.  The Chiefs would put in a workman-like effort as they scored a goal in each of the first two periods and two more in the third for a 4-0 victory.  Captain Tatum Amy scored in the first as she picked up a loose puck off an Erica McIntosh shot and fired home her second of the weekend.  Late in the second period, Cass Lyttle increased the lead as she slid a quick wrist shot past the Norman goalie. Assists were from Amy and Karissa Cullum. 

In the third, McKiya Mazur corralled a rebound from Monet Mazawasicune and fired a shot into the Wild goal.  Karli Frederick with a couple of nifty moves to beat defenceman lifted a high shot into the goal with the assist from Morgan Ramsay.  Tori Eilers stopped 19 shots for the shutout victory.

The Chiefs will be on the road for the next two weekends before returning home for a Wednesday, Oct. 19th home game against the Westman Wilcats.