Season ends for Atom 1 Chinooks with playoff losses to Taber

Atom 1 Chinooks vs Taber Oil Kings
C. Davis photos and video

Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice

Pincher Creek's Atom 1 Chinooks hockey team finished a best of three playoff series against the Oil Kings on SUnday afternoon, ultimately losing out to the Taber team, ending the Chinooks' 2012/13 season.


The two teams met three times during the regular season, and each time the Chinooks won (6-4, 10-8, 9-5).  The Oil Kings managed to turn that around during the first round of the Spud League playoffs.

The first playoff game was held in Pincher Creek, and the Chinooks won it by 8-6.

The second game was held in Taber, where the Oil Kings turned it around, defeating the Chinooks 8-4, a considerable margin compared to the previous games between these two teams.

Tied at a game apiece, the Chinooks needed a win in the final game of the series to move forward in the playoffs.  Unfortunately for the Chinooks that didn't happen.

With Christian Berthiaume missing from the roster the Chinooks brought in Atom 2 Captain Caleb Evans as an associate player.  Evans has served both teams well this season.  The Oil Kings totally dominated the first period against a lethargic effort by the Chinooks, scoring two unanswered goals and keeping the puck in the Chinooks end for most of it.   Chinooks goalie Wesley Krampe was kept busy.

The Chinooks seemed reinvigorated in the second period, playing a much better game than previously.  Their passing play was still not connecting properly though, and it cost them.  Near the end of a non-stop period of back and forth action Taber scored another at the 2:59 mark, bringing the score to 3-0 in their favor.  Finally, after many denied attempts, Rylan Bruns of the Chinooks scored on a quick thinking rebound, assisted by Michael Kaupp.  3-1 at the end of the period.

The third period saw more evenly matched competition between the two teams.  At the 15:23 mark Taber's #8 Nathan Verloop achieved a hat-trick with an unassisted goal.  4-1.  Another Taber goal came from Brylan Span, assisted by Josh Verloop.  5-1.  Finally, as the game was approaching its conclusion, we saw the Chinooks play like they can.  Trinity Tanner made multiple good scoring attempts, as did Sam Jordan, to be repeatedly denied by  Oil Kings goalie Blake Van Beers, who was outstanding throughout.  Rylan Bruns scored two more goals for a hat trick, assisted by Trinity Tanner both times. The Chinooks tied Taber with 2 goals apiece in the third period, but their resurgence was too late.  Hats off to both goalies, who put in major efforts for their respective teams.

Final score: Taber Oil Kings 5, Atom 1 Chinooks 3.

The Taber Oil Kings now move on to the second round of the Spud League playoffs.  For the Atom 1 Chinooks the 2012/13 season is now a memory.