Bantam Chinooks lose one and tie one at home

Bantam Chinooks vs Ft. Macleod Mavericks
C. Davis photos and video, T. Lucas video

Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice

Pincher Creek's Bantam Chinooks hosted the Fort Macleod Mavericks for an exhibition game on Saturday, January 5.  On Sunday they hosted a regular season game against the Irvine Bulldogs.

Chinooks vs Mavericks
The Chinooks/Mavericks game was closer than the final score of 6-2 for the Mavericks might indicate.  The Mavericks are in general a team of BIG guys, and it worked to their advantage.  Nic Jordan scored for the Chinooks in the first period, assisted by Ethan Richards and Emily Wittkopf.  Collin Lincez scored for the Chinooks in the second, assisted by Jessen Luco and Richards.  The Mavericks had a specially strong second period.  By the third the two teams were playing a much more evenly matched game, but couldn't quite capitalize on their efforts enough to turn the tide.

Chinooks vs Bulldogs
Sunday's game against the Irvin Bulldogs was the one that got away.  It was tied 1-1 at the end of the first period after an unassisted goal by Bulldogs' Joel Bruno and one by Jessen Luco for the Chinooks, assisted by Nic Jordan and Ethan Richards.

The Chinooks dominated the second period. Nic Jordan started it off with an unassisted goal early in the period. Ethan Richards scored twice, as did Sam Gerrand.  Gerrand picked up an assist on both of Richards' goals and Richard picked up an assist on one of Gerrand's. Those two are a lethal combination. Chaz Vance and Austin Kristjanson also got assists. A total of 5 goals for the Chinooks in the second.  The Bulldogs picked up two, one by Captain Mackenzie Fritzler assisted by Braedon Pierson and the other another solo effort by Joel Bruno.

Going into the third the Chinooks were ahead 6-3.  Irvine brought it to the Chinooks' net time and time again, wearing down the Pincher defence.  An unassisted dribbler of a goal by Scott Grant of the Bulldogs at the 12:21 mark brought it to 6-4.  At 10:47 remaining Hayden Schoonderbeek snapped in a rebound, assisted by Grant and Fritzler.  6-5.  Bulldogs' Joel Bruno scored one more with 4:22 remaining, assisted by Austin Ziemann, tying it 6-6, and that was all she wrote.

At last count the Pincher Creek Bantam Chinooks were in second place in the Spud League, just behind Coaldale.  The next scheduled game for the Bantam Chinooks is a home game versus Lethbridge 1 on Saturday, January 19, MCC Arena at 3:45 pm.  They are scheduled to play an away game versus  Lethbridge 1 the next day at the Adams Ice Centre.