BARRHEAD - The Barrhead U18 Steelers drive to qualify for the Alberta Provincial Hockey Championships came to an end after playing the Vegreville Wranglers to a 3-3 March 2 tie on the road in the second game of a two-game total point series.
It was the second round of provincial play-downs. In the first game, the previous night at the Agrena, the Steelers lost 3-2 in a closely contested match, with the home team having a slight edge on the shot clock 35-31.
Knowing they had to win the game, the Steelers got off to a strong start, outshooting the home team by a 13-9 margin and outscoring them 2-0 first-period lead on goals by Nattan Batty, assisted by Kruze Hiemstra and Ethan Molher, just past the halfway mark and Cohen Fisher assisted by Cash Gibert with under three minutes to play in the period.
In the second period, Vegreville rebounded, scoring three unanswered goals, aided at least in part by Barrhead, who received four minor penalties compared to none by the Wranglers.
In the third period, Barrhead captain Carsen Anderson scored the lone goal.
William Bain received the start in net for the Steelers, stopping 30 of 33 shots.
In the first game, Vegreville got on the scoreboard first scoring, the lone goal of the first period. In the second period, the teams exchanged goals, with Kyle De Vries scoring the Barrhead's goal assisted by Caden Lane and Gibert.
In the third period, Gibert tied the game for Barrhead, scoring at the seven-minute mark with assists going to Lane and De Vries.
Unfortunately for the Steelers, a poorly timed penalty they could not kill helped Vegreville take the lead they would not relinquish.
Bain started between the pipes, stopping 28 out of 31 shots.
In the first round, the Steelers defeated the Fort McMurray Junior Oil Barons 10-2 and 10-1.
Going into the game, Barrhead to win the game as the night before at the Agrena, the Steelers fell 4-3 in a closely contested match.
Following the first game, Barrhead's head coach, Kassidy Hiemstra, said the team had a solid regular season, finishing third in the North Alberta Eastern Hockey League Tier 2 Division with 35 points and a 17 win, 12 loss, and 1 tie record, only five points behind first place Vegreville playing one more game.
"It was anybody's game tonight. The boys played well. I am extremely pleased and proud of their effort. With a couple of bounces going differently, it could have been a different outcome," he said.
