BARRHEAD - It wasn't quite the perfect season, but it was close, and the Barrhead Renegades U18-2 team will take it as they defeated their Highway 18 rivals, the Mayerthorpe Mustangs, winning the North East Alberta Hockey League (NEAHL) Tier 3 in dramatic fashion, taking the deciding game in a March 16 shootout following three scoreless overtime periods 4-3 in front of their home fans.
"Have you seen anything like that before? It was intense and hard on the heart," head coach JC Lane said after game 3.
He added that, only once in his coaching career, at the U13 level, he could remember a game going to a shootout after three overtime periods.
After a scoreless first period, where the Mustangs outshot the home squad 16-11, Barrhead hit the scoreboard first thanks to a goal by Drake Schlitter, assisted by Caden Lane and Nathan Erickson. Mayerthorpe would get the goal back on a shorthanded marker from Greyson Hillgardner after Renegades goaltender Jack Fitzpatrick, in his first start of the series, misplayed the puck. The Renegades outshot Mayerthorpe 23-11.
The Mustangs struck early in the third period, capitalizing on an early Barrhead tripping penalty when Hillgardner recorded his second goal 25 seconds in.
Barrhead would get the goal back about three minutes later, capitalizing on their own power-play on a marker by Nash Braucht, assisted by Corbin Wood.
Rylan Keith would restore the Renegades' lead two minutes later with help from Schlitter and Lane.
At the halfway mark of the period, Mayerthorpe tied the game. In the final minutes, the Mustangs hemmed Barrhead in their own end, and Fitzpatrick was called upon to make two or three difficult stops to ensure the game went into overtime.
The first overtime was five minutes, five-on-five, with each subsequent overtime period losing a player each time and a minute on the clock.
Barrhead outscored Mayerthorpe 3-0 in the shootout, with Keith, Lane, and Mason Lofflebein scoring. Mayerthorped goaltender Jaxson Moon stopped the Renegades' fourth shooter, Schlitter.
Lane said his team played a really strong game to open the series on March 14 at home with a 5-1 win.
In the second game, the Mustangs bounced back, taking a 4-0 win at home, in the Renegades first loss in the regular season and playoffs.
"The Mustangs' goaltender [Jaxson Moon] played really well," Lane said, noting Moon played a strong game especially. "I don't want to take away from anything that they did. We did not play a great game. We had our shots but did not get many high-quality chances, and plain and simple they outworked us."
He said his players took the loss to heart, regrouped, and came out with a much stronger effort.
"Both teams played their hearts out, but the boys deserve it. They worked their tails off all year," Lane said.
He also noted that going into the series, the Renegades were missing some key players and said he was proud of how his players stepped up their game to fill in the void, including two affiliate players, Taven Braucht and Drake Schlitter, who were called up from U15.
However, he noted the Renegades still have work to do as they will represent the NEAHL as its top seed at the U18 C Provinicial in Peace River starting on March 27. By finishing second, Mayerthorpe also earned a spot in the provincial championship tournament.
"Everyone wants to make provincials, but it's pretty hard to do," Lane said. "I'm proud of the group. It has been an awesome season, and I'm excited that they will have the chance to go to provincials. I was fortunate enough to do it four times in my playing career, winning three. It is something they won't forget."
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
