Bow Valley Bantam AA Timberwolves extended their South Central Alberta Hockey League (SCAHL) winning streak to six in a row over the weekend with a 2-1 victory.
T-wolves (10-5, 2nd, North Division) hosted Okotoks Grizzlys (5-9-3, 4th, North Division) on Nov. 29 at Cochrane Arena, as they looked to keep pace with Central AB Selects, as the race for first place in the North rages on.
Neither team created many scoring opportunities in the opening stages of the first period as they went through a feeling-out phase.
Dean Olenyk (Nicholas Drennan with the assist) broke the deadlock with 8:26 remaining in the period. Caleb Willms (unassisted) doubled the home team’s lead with a well-placed backhand, after a breakaway.
Grizzlys came out in the second period with more intent, and forced T-wolves goalie Alec Halwas to make several crucial saves. The visitors’ persistence was finally rewarded, as Konnor Green (assisted by Dylan Laflamme) grabbed one back for Grizzlys with 3:28 remaining in the second, as Grizzlys began to seize the momentum and push back T-wolves.
In the third period, both sides had numerous chances to add to their goal tally. Olenyk had a shot bobble through Grizzlys goalie Caleb Trotter’s pads, but unfortunately the puck skidded past the wrong side of the post.
Late in the period, Grizzlys had a goal disallowed and Grizzlys head coach Peter Schmiemann was ejected in the ensuing argument. Some excellent netminding from both goalies and solid d-zone play kept things tight.
Grizzlys pulled Trotter with a minute remaining in the hopes of securing an equalizer, but T-wolves held out for the narrow win.
As a defensive unit, the result was one of the best performances by T-wolves this season. Is d-zone work something that the coaching staff drums into the players a lot in practice?
“We work on it every week,” Tyson Soloski, Timberwolves head coach said. “It’s definitely paying off. Today we were running around a little bit, and our goalie kept us in it for a few parts, but it was a good win.”
T-wolves next play Medicine Hat Hounds on Dec. 11 at Moose Recreation Centre. The two teams have yet to play each other this season. Does Soloski know much about their style of play?
“Not a whole lot,” Soloski confessed. “I’ve seen that they’re lower in the standings, but that doesn’t really mean anything.”
How does he plan to prepare for Hounds?
“We’ve got a tournament coming up, so we’re going to go over a few things. We’re going to be putting in a new forecheck, and re-evaluate some things that we’ve gone over before.
“Hopefully, the players will just keep learning.”
Puck-drop for the Medicine Hat game is 7 p.m.
