Richard Froese
South Peace News
The High Prairie Red Wings are the verge of winning their third straight West Division championship in the Greater Metro Hockey League.
High Prairie won the first three games in the best-of-seven final series against the Edson Eagles.
The Red Wings clipped the Eagles 8-2 in the first game March 10 at home and crushed the Eagles 9-1 in the second game on the road. The third game was a 6-2 win March 12.
Keegan Ferguson fired four goals in the second game for the Red Wings, who led 2-0 after the first period and 7-0 after two periods.
Ethan Many Bears popped a pair while Austen Rayburn, Kaden Cardinal and Hudson Chalifoux each added one.
High Prairie goaltender Brad Roncin was almost unbeatable as the Eagles outshot the Red Wings 54-44.
In the opening game, Ferguson scored three goals for the Red Wings, who led 5-2 heading into the final period after the teams were tied 2-2 after the first period.
Dayton Shantz and Rayburn each popped a pair and Cardinal added one.
Roncin was busy in the High Prairie crease as the Red Wings outshot the Eagles 38-35.
Head coach Trent Meyaard says the Red Wings are on track to three-peat as West Division champions.
“We are playing at a high level and peaking at the right time,” says Meyaard, in his second season as head coach for the Red Wings.
“When we were building the team last summer, I was hopeful we could get here again.
“Throughout the season, I have seen a lot of growth in the players and we started to believe we can be the West Division champions again.”
The series is a rematch of the 2022 West final when the Red Wings swept Edson in four games by winning scores of 8-5, 6-2, 8-2 and 11-1.