Double dose of Chiefs, two wins and a loss
- Details
- Published on Friday, October 28, 2016
By Eoin Devereux
Neepawa Banner/Neepawa Press
The talent and tenacity of the Yellowhead AAA Midget Chiefs was on full display last weekend at the PCU Showcase in Portage la Prairie. The annual event features all the teams of the Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League playing several games in front of junior and college hockey scouts from across Canada and the United States.
The Chiefs had a pair of games, the first on Saturday, Oct. 22, against the Eastman Selects. In this contest, it was Yellowhead who struck first, as Ryan Heino of Minnedosa scored just three minutes into the games. Eastman replied with one of its own just a few minutes later. Before the end of the opening period, however, the Chiefs turned up the pressure, creating a pair of goals. First Neepawa’s own Braden Gillies notched his second of the season on an even strength opportunity. Then, with 2:26 left in the first, Heino scored his second of the period to make it 3-1 Yellowhead.
The Eastman Selects would bounce back in the second with a goal to cut the lead to one. In the third however, the Chiefs tallied a pair as Aiden Woodley and Noah Geekie, both from Strathclair scored. Eastman notched one in the final frame, but it was not enough, as Yellowhead closed out the game with a 5-3 win. Heino lead the way with three points (two goals - one assist), while goaltender Jeremy Dutcawich put in an excellent performance, stopping 26 shots for the victory.
The next day, Yellowhead returned to the ice to face the Norman Northstars. This time, the Chiefs were able to take control quickly and rolled to a 7-3 triumph. In the first, Parker Johnson and Eric Lemoine scored for Yellowhead to provide the early cushion. Then in the second, the offensive output really opened up, with Yellowhead earning three more goals while Norman managed two. Noah Geekie and Parker Johnson scored on the power-play, while Benoit Mowbray of St. Lazare put one away at even strength. Those goals, along with Norman’s pair, made it a 5-2 score after 40 minutes.
For the final period, Yellowhead continued to be aggressive. That paid off with another pair of goals. Jacob Tibbatts scored first with 7:05 gone in the period, while Brian Mentuck followed up quickly just 26 seconds later, making it 7-2. Norman replied late with one of its own, but ultimately fell by a 7-3 margin. Parker Johnson had a big game with a pair of goals and an assist. Goaltender Reese Jones earned the win for Yellowhead with a 29 save outing.
With those wins, the Chiefs moved into second place in the standings, with a 7-1-1 record. Yellowhead plays a pair of games this weekend at home. The first will be on Saturday, Oct. 29 versus the Eastman Selects. The second will follow on Sunday, when the Norman Northstars travel to Shoal Lake.
By Eoin Devereux
Neepawa Banner/Neepawa Press
The Yellowhead AAA Female Midget Chiefs have fallen into an early season slump, dropping three straight games. The latest stumble was a 4-2 loss to the Westman Wildcats, on Wednesday, Oct. 19, in Shoal Lake.
Early in the game, the Chiefs pushed hard to set the pace and were ultimately rewarded with a 1-0 lead just seven minutes into the first period. The Wildcats would tie things up with just under three minutes remaining. Yellowhead outshot the Wildcats 10-8 in the period.
The second period was an even affair, as both sides once again notched singles, making it 2-2 after forty minutes of play. The Wildcats outshot Yellowhead in the middle frame 13-10.
For the third period, the Wildcats pushed the pace of play and took over the game. They were rewarded for their effort with just 6:31 remaining in the period with a goal to take the lead for the first time. Just over three minutes later, they sealed the win with another goal to make the final score 4-2. Sydney DeCordy and Cassidy Lyttle scored for the Chiefs, while goaltender Tori Eilers registered the loss, despite having a strong a 26 save effort. This latest defeat dropped Yellowhead to 4-3-0 on the Manitoba Female Midget Hockey League regular season. The Chiefs are still in a good position, however, as they are just two points back of the first place Winnipeg Avros in the standings, with plenty of games remaining on the schedule to make up the difference. The team returns to the ice for a game against the Pembina Valley Hawks on Sunday, Oct. 30. Opening face-off at the Shoal Lake Communiplex is set for 4:30 pm.
