Midget Huskies begin season with a win at home against Rebels

The end of a winning Huskies shift
C. Davis photos/video

Chris Davis

Pincher Creek's Midget Huskies held their home and season opener at the Memorial Community Centre Arena on Friday evening, October 17, with the Foremost/Bow Island Rebels proving to be an ideal team to host for the event.  The Huskies romped to a 7-3 win over the Rebels, but not before both teams put on a three-period crowd pleasing display of relentless hockey.

The Rebels got the first shot on net, hot off the first puck drop, not a challenge for Huskies goaltender #33 Jeremy Kretz.  Kretz is going to be one of the hardest working young men in hockey this season, as he's the sole Huskies goalie.  It appears the Huskies have been working on their defensive drills, because Kretz didn't have to break much of a sweat this time out, compared to the hard time the Huskies' offence gave Rebels goalie #31 Vance Fode.  That young man stopped a lot of pucks.

Kim Kay drops the puck

Neither team managed to score for most of the first period.  Huskies' #15 Levi Anderson was a dynamo, every shift he gave a little clinic in how offence is done, often driving the puck around and through the opposition from one end to the other.  It finally paid off when he broke the impasse by scoring with only 3:38 left in the period, 1-0 Huskies.  It was to be the only time he made the charts this time out, but it was a crucial goal that helped that set the tone for the evening.  Assists went to #6 Chaz Vance and #10 Chase Snider.  That looked to be it for the period until Huskies #11 Jesson Luco scored with only 24 seconds remaining.  Assists to Derek Tarcon and Tyson Goodreau.  The Rebels clocked 14 minutes in penalty time compared to the Huskies' 6.  That was costly.  Luco, Tarcon, and Goodreau are a formidable team out there season, working together seems to bring out the best in each of them.  2-0 Huskies to the buzzer. 

Both teams came out skates ablazing for the second period, but the visibly confident Huskies built a big lead, four more goals to one for the Rebels.  Scoring for the Huskies were Tyson Goodreau, Brandt Sabo, and two for Assistant Captain #16 Derek Tarcon, who also picked up an assist on Sabo's goal.  Huskies' assists also went to Jared Koentges, Jesson Luco, and Austin Kristjanson.  The first goal for the Rebels came from #19 Austin Wickenheiser, who was putting on his own clinic all evening, unassisted mid-way through the period at 14:43. 6-1 Huskies at the buzzer.   Game misconducts for Huskies' #20 Kieran Douglas and Rebels #7 Hayden Macleod testified to the increased angst on the ice.  In addition to that the Huskies served 10 minutes in the box, the Rebels served an additional 11 minutes, including two hit-to-the-head penalties.

The Rebels showed no signs of surrender in the third period, and #4 Austin Piper scored for them at the 15:06 mark, assisted by Wickenheiser and Logan Bodin.  6-2.  With 8:35 remaining Huskies #23 Assistant Captain Craig Marshall scored, bringing it to 7-1.  Austin Wickenheiser scored again for the Rebels, again unassisted, with 3:26 remaining in the game.  That was it as far as the record books were concerned.  Near the end of the game an errant puck smashed one of the fluorescent lights above the ice, causing a delay in play while refs and arena attendants cleaned up the glass.  No penalty was assessed on that one. The Huskies served 6 minutes in penalties during the third. #22 Tristan Stensrud got a 10 minute misconduct, and another Rebel hit-to-the-head cost them 4 minutes.  

Final score 7-2 Huskies. 

Huskies goalie Jeremy Kretz

Huskies Coach Kent Goodreau was obviously pleased with the team's great first outing this season. "Couldn't ask for a better start, he said. Some of these Huskies were AA Bantam Rockies last season. Some were playing their first Midget game. "We have seven first years on the ice tonight," explained Coach Goodreau. "They've done and incredible job. The whole game, actually I was impressed with how well they played. We got 7,8,9 new kids this year." The team has two home rinks, the MCC in Pincher Creek and the Crowsnest Sports Complex in Coleman. "I think we have seven from out in the Pass," explained Goodreau.

According to Goodreau the Huskies are 18 strong this season, including sole goaltender #33 Jeremy Kretz. "The older boys led the younger boys really well, and they seemed to start gelling in the second and third. If we moved the puck, they couldn't stop us."

"With a wide range of kids, everybody is going to have to show up every night to play hockey to win a hockey game. We start losing one or two guys not trying, it's going to kill us. We are not going to be the most talented team in the world, but we are going to be the hardest working in this division."

Rebels goalie Vance Fode needs a bigger net

Like so many in attendance, Coach Goodreau was impressed by the effort of Rebels goalie #31, the big and quick Vance Fode. "Everything he saw, he stopped. First period, I bet he got 20 shots before we got somebody in front of him and we scored. That goalie did well."

Coach Goodreau expects the games to get a little more intense as the season progresses. "The teams will play harder, when they can test themselves against each other. It's good too, because they're down to five teams in the division"

Huskies' Chase Snider - expect big things this season from him

In terms of the Huskies definitive win he said "It's not that Bow Island is a bad team, Bow Island didn't hand us anything. In my mind what we got, we earned."

Coach Goodreau also wanted to make sure we put in a good word for the solid officiating during this game.  From experience I know this is a coach that doesn't say such things lightly, so you can take that to the bank.

Midget Huskies home games this season (subject to change)

All games 8-10:30 at MCC in Pincher Creek except *
October 17 - Foremost/Bow Island
November 8 - Picture Butte, 6:45 at Coleman rink*
November 14 - Warner
December 5 - Warner
January 2 - Kainai
January 3 - Foremost, 6:45 at Coleman rink*
Midget Tourney January 9-11
January 16 - Kainai
February 20 - Picture Butte

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