Ice Suffer Two Tough Losses over Weekend

Head Coach of the Cold Lake Jr B Ice, Scott Hood, says he will continue to reinforce a hard working attitude with the squad, following two tough losses over the weekend. The team fell short in overtime against the Saddle Lake Warriors on Friday, 5-4. Then Sunday the Frog Lake TBirds out performed the Ice 10-4. “The Jr B is anyone’s game, but you have to work for it,” says Hood.

“It’s still early, no need to push the panic button,” Coach Hood recognizes that no one will be lifting cups over their heads any time soon, but there are some improvements to be made. “We saw some things that we didn’t like over the course of the weekend. Be prepared to play, every night.”

On Friday the Ice traveled to Saddle Lake, where the Warriors opened fire on the club with two goals from  Silas Makokis to start the game. The Warriors took a 2-0 game and advanced it to 3-0 early in the third with a goal from Kevin Krengnektak, before the Ice responded.  Cold Lake’s Brody Rosychuk closed the gap a little, with the assist to Tanner Carr.  Curtis Gullackson gave the Ice some more juice with a late second period goal with the help of Jason Hamilton  and Nathan Pliska to make it a 3-2 game at the end of 40 minutes.

Saddle Lake got the two-goal advance in the third from Krengnektak; but the Ice managed to close that gap with goals from Hamilton and Captain Curtis Witney, forcing the game to extra time. It took the Warriors 3:03 to pop in the game winner, thanks to  Devon Cardinal-Jackson; making for a long road trip down Highway 28 home for the Ice.

On any given night, in the Junior B, any team can beat any other team. You have to show up to play. It showed on the weekend. We lost to Saddle Lake on Friday and got our butts handed to us on Sunday. Come to the rink prepared. It’s your work ethic, on and off the ice. – Scott Hood Head Coach Cold Lake Ice

“You got to put out the best team you can, and the T-Birds are skilled,” Coach Hood says Frog Lake really had the upper hand on the Ice the whole game. “They move the puck well and they can score on with any shot they have.” The T-Birds opened up the scoring with three goals, early in the first from Joshua Swampy,  Brandon Cunningham, and Courage Omeasoo. The Ice managed to break up the T-Birds scoring with an unassisted goal from Mackenzie Zarowny. The T-Birds upped the score again with a goal from  Delano Tipewan, followed by a Cold Lake goal from  Darian Hartley and another T-Birds goal from Swampy to make it a 5-2 game after the first.

The T-Birds’ Gordan Wasteste and Omeasoo were the sole scorers in the second to make a 7-2 game heading into the final 20 minutes of play. Omeasoo opened up the third with a hat trick, followed by a goal from the Ice’s Brody Rosychuk. There were two more Frog Lake goals, Wasteste and Omeasoo, before the final goal of the night; scored by Jason Hamilton of the Cold Lake Ice to make a 10-4 final score.

“We addressed some things after Sunday’s game. It’s a new week, we’ll have some practices and hopefully, we’ll see some adjustments.” The Ice will welcome the Lloydminster Bandits on Friday to Imperial Oil Place. Puck drop 8:00 pm, WIN your way in thanks to LCN!