Wednesday News Clippings

Courtesy Kamloops Daily News
Kamloops blows hot and cold early on this year......

The Jardine’s Blazers went 2-2, losing in a semifinal, at the Kelowna Minor Hockey Association’s Bantam Tier 1 tournament on the weekend.


The Blazers opened with a 7-4 loss to the Okanagan Hockey Academy on Friday, with Dexter Robinson, with two, Jacob Faraday and Alex Winters scoring the goals. Josh Shank was in goal for the Blazers.

On Saturday, the Blazers opened with a 7-3 victory over Campbell River as Nick Chyzowski scored three times and Robinson added a pair. Faraday and Maxwell James also scored. Winters had two assists, with Bailey De Palma in goal.

Later Saturday, Chyzowski and Robinson had two goals each in a 6-1 victory over Langley. Kevin Davis and James also scored, while Robinson had two helpers.

On Sunday, Kelowna beat the Blazers 4-2 in a semifinal game. James had both goals for Kamloops, with Robinson and Chyzowski each getting two assists.


Courtesy Airdrie City View
Airdrie finding the going a bit tougher than in years past......

The Airdrie Xtreme hasn’t won a league game this month, but head coach Terry Keogh isn’t ringing the alarm bells just yet.


Its third consecutive loss, a 2-1 defeat to the Calgary Royals at the Ron Ebbesen Arena on Oct. 15, was a result of special teams play, as all three goals were scored while Airdrie was shorthanded.

The Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League club showed strong resolve against the league’s top team, however, Keogh said.

“We certainly showed that we can play at the Royals’ level, we just need to work on our finish,” he said. “We started off strong and took it to them in the first 10 minutes. It was a good game back and forth and it could have gone either way.”

The Xtreme, now 3W-4L-1T on the season, were outshot 13-7 in the scoreless first period before captain Marshall Burr scored on the penalty kill 6:50 into the middle frame. The 1-0 lead was short-lived though, as the Royals scored twice on the power play, two minutes apart, less than three minutes later.

The game-winning goal bounced off a pair of legs and took a ricochet in front of the net, leaving Xtreme goaltender Ryan Ternes no chance at making the save.

Keogh said a string of penalties in the second period disrupted his regular lines.

“There were three penalties we shouldn’t have taken,” he said. “We’re still trying to adjust to the new rules, and we couldn’t control those ones, but we can on the other ones.”

Airdrie will look to get back in the win column when it hosts the Red Deer Rebels White on Oct. 22 at the Ron Ebbesen Arena. Game time is 7:15 p.m.

“There is no panic, but we’re certainly concerned from a confidence standpoint,” Keogh said. “It’s not our play that’s created our record. We just need to be ready around the net, keep creating opportunities and work on the finish.”


Top 5 Scoring Leaders
AMBHL
1.  Nick Merkley  - Calgary Bisons  10GP  15-15-30
2.  Braylon Shmyr - Calgary Bisons  10GP  13-15-28
3.  Giorgio Estephan - SSAC Southgate 8GP  13-14-27
4.  Tyler Benson - SSAC Southgate 8GP  5-14-19 (98 born)
5.  Andrew Koep - Lloydminster Heat  8GP  11-5-16

WPG B1 (not including Thunder Bay)
1. Zach Court - Winnipeg Monarchs  7GP  4-8-12
2. Jackson Keane - Winnipeg Monarchs 7GP  4-6-10
3. Jeremy Leipsic - Winnipeg Monarchs 7GP 4-5-9
4. Reid Stefanson - Winnipeg Monarchs 7GP 3-6-9
5. Matthew Gunhouse - Winnipeg Warriors 4GP 3-4-7

SBAAHL
1.  Terrell Draude - Sask Valley Vipers  7GP  7-10-17
2.  Regan Nagy  - Weyburn Red Wings  5GP  10-4-14
3.  Spencer Bast - West Central Wheat Kings 6GP  5-9-14
4.  Jayden Halbgewachs - Balgonie PS  3Gp  9-4-13 
5.  Chad Grambo - North East Wolfpack 6GP 8-4-12

more tomorrow....