Richard Froese
South Peace News
The High Prairie Red Wings clinched first place in the West Division in the Greater Metro Hockey League after wins over two other top teams.
High Prairie shut out the second-place Enoch Northern Alberta Tomahawks 8-0 on home ice Feb. 10 and defeated the third-place Edson Eagles 8-3 on the road Feb. 11.
Red Wing goaltender Brad Roncin registered his team record-breaking sixth shutout of the season as High Prairie outshot Enoch 48-45.
Nolan Noskey and Keegan Ferguson each scored twice for the Red Wings, who led 2-0 after the first period and 6-0 after two periods.
Harlan Noskey, Kaden Cardinal, Maven McMaster and Benny Yellowknee also scored for the winners.
Head coach Trent Meyaard says the team proved its power in the two wins as the team gears up for the playoffs.
“All the boys were ready and it showed,” Meyaard says.
“We worked a lot on our defensive zone and exiting the zone a lot in the two weeks leading up to the games and it paid off.”
Red Wing goaltenders were tough to beat, he says.
“Dawson Holitzki was solid as a rock for us in Edson,” Meyaard says.
Edson outshot High Prairie 40-39.
Ferguson fired five goals in Edson as the Red Wings led 3-0 after one period and 6-1 after two periods.
Cardinal popped a pair while Yellowknee added one.
The Red Wings wrap up the regular season when they host Enoch on Feb. 24 and visit the Fox Creek Ice Kings on Feb. 26.
Heading into the playoffs, No. 1 High Prairie and No. 2 Northern Alberta get byes in the first round that is scheduled to start Feb. 26. No. 3 Edson will face the No. 6 Gibbons Pioneers while No. 4 Fox Creek will battle the No. 5 Slave Lake Icedogs in best-of-three series.
Division semifinals are scheduled to start March 3 as the Red Wings will take on the lowest team while Enoch faces the other winner in best-of-seven series.
Winners will meet in the best-of-seven West Division final series scheduled to start March 13.
Joining the GMHL in the 2019-20 season, High Prairie has been crowned the champions in the regular season and playoffs the last two seasons.
Check www.gmhl.net for the latest scores and updates