Coaldale defeats Huskies for Midget "A" Spud League Championship

Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice

Huskies vs Coaldale 
C. Davis photo

Pincher Creek's Midget Huskies hosted the Coaldale Cobras for game two of a best-of-three in the Spud League playoff finals on the evening of Saturday, March 24.

The Memorial Community Centre Arena was packed with fans from both teams, raising the roof with an uncommon fervour.  In addition to the usual noisemakers, some Huskies fans brought in a drum kit to help highlight their appreciation for the team.

The Cobras had previously defeated the Huskies 7-5 in game one of the series, played at the Coaldale rink on Wednesday, March 21, so it was do-or-die time for the Huskies.

Midget Huskies vs Coaldale
C. Davis photos

The Huskies had an uphill battle right from the first whistle.   Cobras #18 Alex Hlas-Ross scored an unassisted breakaway goal 5 seconds into the game.  22 seconds after that his teammate #17 Doug Lapointe scored another very similar goal, bring the score to 2-0 for the Cobras and temporarily deflating the spirits of the hometown crowd.

The Huskies picked up their game after that, particularly defensively, and the amazing performance of Huskies goalie #35 Braeden Claringbull was key to holding back the Cobra attack.  Claringbull stopped shot after shot, as the Huskies struggled unsuccessfully to bring the game to the Cobras' end.

Huskies fans

Huskies fans

Finally, at 14:54 on the clock Huskies Captain #16 Brett Tarcon put one on the board for his team with a beautiful long-shot, assisted by #19 Ryan Sciarra and #11 Calahan Bruder.  Another Huskies goal with 10:04 left in the period by #21 Michael Roy brought the score even to 2-2.  Roy was assisted by Tarcon and #23 Ryan Marshall.

The rest of the first period was relatively uneventful, with the Cobras still dominating offensively, and Claringbull letting nothing get past him.

The Cobras came out strong again in the second period.  A Cobra goal by #5 Brock Boutilier at 16:21 on the clock put them ahead again 3-2.  At 13:46 Hlas-Ross scored  his second goal of the game, bringing it to 4-2 Cobras.

Huskies Captain #16 Brett Tarcon with the puck
C. Davis photo

At 12:29 left in the period a fight broke out in one of the corners, which quickly turned into a brawl between all of the players on the ice with the exception of the goalies.  Once the dust had settled the penalty boxes were crammed tight and the referees allowed the play to continue.  Oddly, this was one of only two such incidents in the game, the second of which was nipped in the bud by the referees as quickly as it started.  In general this was a clean game, so these incidents appeared to be aberrations.

There was finally another ray of hope for the Huskies at the halfway point when Tarcon scored an unassisted breakaway goal at 10:25. A potential Coaldale goal at the end of the period, just after the buzzer, came too late to count.

Down 4-3, the Huskies brought their best game to the third period.  At 13:54 on the clock Cobra Captain #19 Brett Versteeg scored, bringing his team ahead 5-3.  The two teams battled to a draw for the bulk of the period.  With 4:27 left in the period Michael Roy scored his second in the game, assisted by Ryan Marshall.

After that the Huskies worked very hard to bridge the one-point gap, but did so unsuccessfully.

Final score:  Coaldale Cobras 5, Pincher Creek Huskies 4.  Coaldale becomes the 2011/2112 Spud League Midget "A" Champions.

2011/12 Spud League Midget "A" Champions
Coaldale Cobras
C. Davis photo

After the game, the Pincher Creek Huskies honoured  #17 Sheldon Fillipuzzi and  #4 Mack Jordan, who are moving on after years of playing on Pincher Creek Minor Hockey teams.  Good luck to these outstanding young men.

Sheldon Fillipuzzi and Mack Jordan
C. Davis photo

Huskies Head Coach Greg Shakel was pragmatic about the loss after the game.  "They came right down to the wire," he said of his team.  "They didn't give up, and being short-benched for part of the second period I think we just ran out of steam. We were down 2-0 after the first two minutes, and we tied it up before the end of the first period.  I figured that proved to me that they can come back, and still have a chance."

"Coaldale is probably one of the toughest team in the league," continued Shakel.  "They have 25 to 30 guys to choose from, they've got actually two teams and they bring 19 every time they come.

He spoke a little about next season.  "This team here (the Huskies), there are only two players that aren't coming back next year, or have the ability to come back next year.  Mac Jordan and Sheldon Fillipuzzi were probably leaders of the team and they never give up.  They always help the guys out."

"I am very proud of these boys," continued Shakel. "They never quit.  We didn't quite get our goals completed, but we made it.  We wanted Provincials, we did that. We didn't win Provincials, but we came in and made it to the semi-finals.  There's hundreds of teams that didn't even make it there.  A whole bunch of teams didn't make it to Sunday.  We made it to Sunday.  We made it to the league final."

"I told them in the dressing room (after the Coaldale game) 'You might not think of it right now, but next year when you come down for something like this, or the same game, you'll come out ahead.  Because you'll dig down and you'll remember'."

2011/12 Pincher Creek Midget Huskies