Yellowhead Chiefs week in review

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Yellowhead Chiefs week in review - Nov. 16

Details: Published on Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Chiefs tame Wild, get struck by Lightning

By Eoin Devereux

The Neepawa Banner/Neepawa Press

The Yellowhead AAA Midget Chiefs spilt a pair of road games over the weekend, but not in the order that some fans had likely expected them to. Yellowhead upended the league’s top team, the Winnipeg Wild on Saturday, Nov. 12, by the score of 3-2. But the next night, the Chiefs were shocked by one of the worst clubs on the circuit, the Interlake Lightning, by that same 3-2 result.

Yellowhead opened up the weekend in Winnipeg on Saturday, Nov. 12. Throughout regulation, the Chiefs were able to not only keep pace with the top ranked Wild, but at times, outplay their rivals. Mackenzie Belinski opened up the scoring just 4:27 into the first on an even strength effort. That was his seventh goal and 15th point of the season. Noah Geekie assisted on the play. The Winnipeg Wild would reply late in the first period though to tie the game at 1-1.

In the second period, Yellowhead took over control of the game by notching a pair of goals. First Noah Geekie put away a short-handed marker and then added another assist to his stats late in the middle frame on a Cole Muir effort. While Winnipeg was able to cut into the lead late in the third period, it was not enough, as the Chiefs handed the Wild (14-1-0-2) their first regular season loss of the season. Yellowhead goaltender Jeremy Dutcawich collected the victory, stopping 31 of 33 shots he faced.

The next night, Yellowhead hoped to keep its momentum going against the Interlake Lightning (3-9-0-2). While the Chiefs dominated the action, they couldn’t overcome the dominant 52 save effort of Interlake goalie Adam Swan, falling 3-2 in a shootout. Benoit Mowbray and Josh Belcher each scored for Yellowhead, in their valiant, but ultimately unsuccessful effort.

After picking up a possible three of four points, the Yellowhead Chiefs (11-3-1-2) have accumulated 25 points on the season, good enough for second place in the league standings. Yellowhead returned to the ice in Shoal Lake on Wednesday, Nov. 16 against the Brandon Wheat Kings. Those game results were final after the Banner’s publication deadline, but will appear in the next edition. Other upcoming home games for the Chiefs will include the Southwest Cougars on Friday, Nov. 18 and the Winnipeg Wild on Sunday, Nov. 20.

Female Chiefs overcome Caps

Submitted Article

The Yellowhead Female Midget Chiefs recently hit the road hoping to shake off a recent slump and end a four game winless streak. Their opponents would be the Central Plains Capitals in a rematch of last season’s MFMHL finals, won by the Chiefs in five games. Head coach Derek Tibbatts would have a full lineup for the first time in the regular season, as Jenna Barscello and Rylee Gluska returned from injuries.

Game one was on Saturday, Nov. 5 in Portage la Prairie at the BDO Centre. The small ice surface makes for close quarters and scramble hockey, but the Chiefs were energized as they came out of the gate on fire. After several chances were denied, Karissa Cullum opened the scoring as she cleaned up a loose puck at the side of the net off a Sadie Wood shot on goal. Tatum Amy drew the other assist on the goal. Early in the second, the Chiefs increased the lead as rookie Monet Mazawasicuna picked up a loose puck in front and buried it for her first AAA midget goal. Amy and Wood again provided the assists. Amy would be back to add another goal as she came out of the penalty box and picked up a puck that had been popped loose by the quick stick of Karli Frederick. Amy would go in alone on the goalie and roof a wrist shot for a 3-0 lead for the visitors.

Central Plains would get one back before Sadie Wood scored, as she picked up a rebound off a great rush by Jena Barscello. With a 4-1 lead, the Chiefs seemed to relax a bit and gave up two goals in the last half of the second period to give Cental Plains some life. The two teams would play a tight third period with chances limited to the outside. Karli Frederick confirmed the Chiefs win with an empty net goal in the final minute and the team took a much needed W.

On Sunday, Nov. 6, the teams would meet again, this time in Selkirk as the league participated in the Female Hockey Fights Cancer fundraiser. With special jerseys for the day, the teams played a great game in support of the cause. The Chiefs again came out strong, as they scored twice in the first period. Rylee Gluska opened the scoring as she corralled a puck in the slot and fired a quick snap shot inside the post less then 10 minutes in. Jena Barscello and Monet Mazawasicuan assisted on the goal. Near the end of the period, Captain Amy increased the lead with a great individual effort, as she cut around a Capitals defenceman and swooped around the goalie, before sliding a backhand shot into the goal. That would be all the scoring on the day, as both goal tenders were solid. Miranda Cook would stop everything thrown her way and record the shut out victory.

The Chiefs then headed south for the Shattuck St Marys Jamboree in Minnesota Nov. 12-13. Yellowhead spared with a pair of American teams, falling to the Madison Capitals 5-2 and dropping a close one to the Minnesota Revolution 2-1. With that tournament concluded, the Yellowhead Chiefs will have a pair of regular season games against the Eastman Selects in Steinbach on Saturday, Nov. 19 and Sunday, Nov. 20.

Bantam Chiefs win one, drop two

Mixed results recently for Bantam Yellowhead Chiefs. The team first fell to the Brandon Wheat Kings on Thursday, Nov. 10, in overtime by the score of 4-3. McAuley’s Jake Poole lead the way with a pair of goals, while Colby Joseph of Elkhorn contributed the other.

Then on Saturday, Nov. 12, the Chiefs travelled to Virden to challenge the Southwest Cougars. After 60 minutes of play, it was Yellowhead who claimed the much needed two points in the standings, winning 3-1. Zach Veitch of Rivers scored twice and Birtle’s Cole Stainer added a single.

The third and final game of the long weekend for the bantam Chiefs was on Sunday, Nov. 13, versus the Central Plains Capitals. The Caps closed out the game with the 4-2 win. Stainer and Bray Rookes of Elkhorn scored in this contest for the Chiefs. The next game for the Yellowhead Bantams will be on Saturday, Nov. 19 against the Winnipeg Monarchs.