Cold Lake Ice continue to slide, St. Paul Canadiens keep winning ways going

The Cold Lake Ice are facing a five game losing streak after losing a close 4-3 game in overtime against the St. Paul Canadiens on Friday, while the Canadiens are now on a four game winning streak.

It was a back and forth affair where each team traded goals heading into the extra frame.

Kelton McAuley was the hero with the overtime winner and finished the game with one goal and three assists, leaving with four more points and sitting with 11 points in total on the season. 

The Canadiens game winner stopped a late Cold Lake comeback with the equalizer with almost a minute left in regulation.

Teams trade goals

After both teams faced a scoreless first, the Ice grabbed the lead as Ethan Peake got the first goal of the night in the second period. 

Into the end of the second with only 40 seconds of play left, Canadiens Jacob Leroux made it 1-1 to head into the third.

Battling for the lead in the last 20, the Canadiens struck first as Jacob Jean gave his team a lead on his first goal of the season.

Cold Lake’s Bret Macleod quickly replied put one up and made it anyone’s game.

With five minutes left in the 3rd, Canadiens’ Logan Higdon gave the lead back to his team. 

However in the last minute of play, Cold Lake forced overtime as Dawson Cook tied them up at 3-3.

That’s when Kelton McAuley got his third of the season and the winning goal. 

“We didn’t quit, we just kept battling, we are getting better that way,” said Cold Lake Ice head coach Scott Hood. 

The Canadiens remained idle the remainder of the weekend, still sitting 1st in the NEAJBHL.

Wheat Kings’ 3rd period the difference

Cold Lake then moved on to face the Killam Wheat Kings Saturday night and unfortunately cannot take that win home either as the Kings won 7-4.

“We haven’t seen them since the second game of the year and we have improved a lot since then,” said Scott Hood, the head coach for Cold Lake Ice.

“Hopefully it’s a good test for us and for them.”

Now into the first with a busy period in the first two minutes of play Cold Lake, Riley Pollard kicks off with the first goal of the night and his fourth of the season.

The Wheat Kings responded quickly with three consecutive goals all within two minutes apart. Carter Burton with two and while Ashton Kelly had one. 

But Cold Lake did not give up without a fight and Carson Hebert and Carter Breen threw up two ending the first a 3-3 tie. 

Into the 2nd with almost a goalless period, Cold Lake’s Christian Foisy regained the lead, but it would not be maintained, as the Wheat Kings’ Kobe Charchun landed it in the back of the net to get his first of the night and end the second in another tie 4-4. 

“We have to keep on them,” said Foisy in the second intermission. 

“There were a lot of close games and some frustration. We just want to come home with the win.”

 

But it did not go to script for Cold Lake.

Opening the third, Wheat Kings’ Ashton Kelly got his second goal followed by Kobe Charchun’s second of the night unassisted. Then Kaden Vanpetten secured the win in giving Killam a three goal advantage. Cold Lake was unable to retaliate and came short on home ice. 

With a big point game for Wheat Kings’ Kobe Charchun, having two goals four assists walking away with six more points putting him 4th with 20 points in total for the top scoring leaders. 

 

“This was just another example of not playing the full 60 minutes,” said Scott Hood, the head coach for Cold Lake Ice. 

“We are a young team, we battled and played hard.” 

The Ice have a small game break until they take on the Lloydminster Bobcats on Dec. 3.