Midget Huskies edged by Coaldale in feisty game

Midget Huskies vs Cobras
C. Davis photos and video

Chris Davis

Hot off their 10-1 win over Lethbridge on Friday, November 18, the Pincher Creek Midget Huskies had every reason to be optimistic going into their Sunday, November 20 game against the Coaldale Cobras.

In the first period the Huskies kept the pressure on, and demonstrated a good game of keep-away, holding their own against a strong Coaldale team, scoring early for the lead until 5:07 on the clock, when Coaldale evened things up. Another for Coaldale at 2:06 put the onus on the Huskies to pick up their game, which they did, scoring with 1:11 on the clock, the period ending in a 2-2 tie.

Both teams seemed to be determined to keep the penalty box seats warm in the second period.  Coaldale pulled ahead 3-2 with an early goal, Pincher tied it at 12:27, Coaldale rattled back with another at 10:36 with a beaut of a breakaway goal.  The penalties kept mounting, with one Huskies coach ejected from the game and a grand total of four Huskies in the penalty box at the same time, which turned the Pincher goal crease into a shooting gallery.  The referees took a lot of heat in this period, and gave a lot of it back.  There was much grumbling in the stands from the hometown crowd.   Final outcome: Refs 1, Huskies 0.  Tempers flared, and by the time they subsided Coaldale was up by another goal, bringing the score to 4-2.

Pincher Creek Midget Huskies vs Coaldale Cobras

Huskies goalie #33 Lane Kalbhen deserves special attention for holding up so well to so much concerted firepower.  If he had not done such an able job helping to kill penalties it might have been a much worse outcome for the Huskies.

Playing four-on-three put the Huskies at a definite disadvantage, and Coaldale scored again at 4:07, bringing the score to 5-3 Coaldale.

In the third period, the Huskies faced frustration as a goal at 14:28 went in after the whistle blew, and didn't count.  As it turns out, that could have been the goal to turn things around for the team.  Penalties for both teams piled up again, and by 8:03 they were playing four-on-four, with neither team getting the edge on the other.  The Huskies pulled their goalie briefly near the end of the period, and managed to score one at 1:26.  They fought it out to the bitter end, but couldn't even it up.

Final score: Coaldale 5, Pincher Creek 4.