Cold Lake Ice advance in six game series over Killam Wheat Kings

The Cold Lake Ice head toward the handshake line after defeating the Killam Wheat Kings in six games on Saturday. 

The Cold Lake Ice are moving on.

The Ice advanced past the Killam Wheat Kings in Game 6 on Saturday night with a 4-1 victory to cap off a feisty, rough, contentious first round of NEAJBHL playoffs.

Killam’s early goal from Dalton Zemanek stood up for long stretches until Jaydon Frey tied the game late in the second period.

Then a three-goal third period from Noah Cook, Austin Saint, and Tyler Shankowsky closed the game for Cold Lake, who await the Lac La Biche Clippers in the second round.

“We finished it off and it’s a good feeling,” said Ice head coach Scott Hood.

“We worked hard. It’s been a long season. You’re happy for the boys, right. They battled hard. They’re the ones playing. I mean, I’m tired and exhausted from the bus trips and those long, late nights but we’ll take it,” he said.

A scary incident just over minutes into the third period was a microcosm of the rough – and sometimes dirty – play between the two teams as Jaydon Frey appeared to get kicked during a scrum by Andrew Davidse.

He received a match penalty out of the altercation.

Coach Scott Hood said he didn’t the play to comment on.

Matt Henwood made 23 saves in another great performance after making 32 saves in a winning effort in Game 5.

“He’s great. He battles every night. We can sit through this interview every game from the start of the season, he’s our warrior out there. When he’s going, the rest of the guys are going and he kept us in it tonight. We weren’t playing our best and this is his final junior year and he’s playing like he doesn’t want to end. We’ll see if we can keep riding his wave,” said Hood.

The Lac La Biche Clippers (26-5-1) represent the best the NEAJBHL has to offer through the regular season and first round of the playoffs.

They swept the Vegreville Rangers in four games scoring 41 games.

“We’re going to have to battle. It’s going to be even tougher than this. They’ve got some high-end skill that doesn’t stop…so keep the puck out of our net, that’ll be a huge one. But we’re ready for the challenge. I mean, we won this series, so we’ll enjoy it tonight and be ready for whatever it is.”

Meanwhile, the other semifinal series sees the St. Paul Canadiens battle the Wainwright Bisons.