BARRHEAD – Oh, so close.
The Barrhead Steelers took home the silver medal in the Northern Alberta Interlock League (NAI)'s U18 Tier 1-2 championship losing in overtime to La Crete in the deciding game of the championship tournament Saturday, March 12, falling 9-8.
In the first game Friday, Barrhead won 9-5, but La Crete rebounded in the second game, winning 8-4, to force the rubber match.
The Steelers advanced to the championship round by defeating the Athabasca Hawks in a best of three series in late February, winning in two straight games, 8-2 and 4-2.
Head coach Dylan Stoik said the series against the La Crete Lumberjacks just as easily could have gone the other way.
"The boys are very disappointed. We were just one shot away," he said. "We proved that we can compete and skate with these guys."
Barrhead got on the scoreboard first just two minutes into the game on a goal by JW Loughran, assisted by Cohen Dancause and Axton McCallum.
The Lumberjacks responded less than a minute later, to tie the game.
Barrhead then regained the lead thanks to an unassisted goal by Eric McLean about three minutes later.
La Crete would tie it up again, scoring midway through the first period.
Barrhead's Hayden Palmateer would regain the team's lead three minutes later on a goal, assisted by Carter Greilach and Tray Preuss.
The period would end with Barrhead up 3-2.
In the second, just short of the two-minute mark La Crete once again evened the score.
The Steelers' Kayden Rentz would regain the lead with Barrhead’s fourth goal, which was assisted by McLean, at about the nine-minute mark. They couldn’t hold the lead for long though, as the Lumberjacks scored two minutes later.
The Steelers took the lead for the final time in the period thanks to Van Werenka's goal that was assisted by captain Kolby Miller and Rentz.
The Lumberjacks tied the game a minute-and-a-half into the third period taking the lead four minutes later.
Barrhead tied the game again just short of the halfway mark of the period, thanks to a goal by McCallum with assists going to Luke Politeski and Owen Stoik.
The teams continued to exchange scoring opportunities on the rush, the first by the Steelers' Miller. The next, by La Crete, on a two-on-one, as Miller was caught deep in the offensive zone.
However, Miller recovered sprinting down the ice breaking up the potential scoring chance. Moments later, he was checked from behind in a dangerous play near the Steelers end boards at the 11-minute mark.
The La Crete player received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct. The Lumberjacks coach also received a bench minor, giving Barrhead the opportunity, to score two power-play goals and take the lead by two. The first goal was by McCallum, on a point-shot, assisted by Owen Stoik. The second was a wrap-around goal by Riley Harrison, assisted by Werenka and McLean.
Unfortunately, the Lumberjacks were able to come back, scoring two unanswered goals — the first with about 6:45 remaining and the second with just under three minutes left in the third period.
In (five-on-five) overtime, regrettably, a Steelers player took an inadvertent tripping penalty, which La Crete was able to capitalize on.
Stoik said his players showed a lot of character responding to a disappointing loss only hours before.
He added that he was not a fan of the new playoff format that the league was using for many of its series, with some of the games played on the same day, often with a quick turnaround.
"To play a game and then have to play another one just two hours later is very tough physically and mentally for kids at this age," he said.
The Barrhead Steelers will have a chance to avenge the loss at provincials in two weeks as NAI received the wild card spot, which means Barrhead, Athabasca, and La Crete have all made the final championship tournament. La Crete will represent the All Peace Hockey League (APHL).
The U18 Tier 1 Provincial Championship takes place in Calgary from March 31-April 3.
