Richard Froese
South Peace News
The High Prairie Red Wings are eager to gain momentum heading into the second half of the first season in the National Junior Hockey League.
The Red Wings are safely in second place with 30 points on 15 wins and seven losses as of Jan. 4. They are chasing the league-leading Edson Eagles, who have 38 points on 19 wins and two losses.
High Prairie and Edson are the top contenders, well ahead of the third-place Gibbons Pioneers with 17 points, the fourth-place Mayerthorpe North Alberta Lightning with 14 and the Vulcan Rampage and the Fox Creek Ice King at 12 points each.
Head coach Trent Meyaard is optimistic the Red Wings can shift into higher gear to challenge the Eagles.
“Our goal is to put the metal to the pedal the final 19 games of the season to catch Edson,” Meyaard says.
“We are working to improve our game.
“We have not reached our potential yet and I expect us to peak at the right time.”
High Prairie and Edson square off five times in the final 19 games in the regular season, including the next four straight games. The Red Wings host the Eagles on Jan. 13, Jan. 19, and Jan. 27 while the two teams play in Edson on Jan. 20.
“It will be a glimpse of what the playoffs will be like,” Meyaard says.
High Prairie has faced Edson seven times this season and posted two wins and five losses. After four straight losses to the Eagles, the Red Wings have won two of the last three meetings.
“Playing a solid 200-foot game and practising at an elite level every day, we have the ability to beat them on any given night,” Meyaard says.
He adds the team is gaining momentum as the season resumes after the Christmas break.
“Our play has been a bit of a roller coaster,” Meyaard says.
“We had some highs and some lows, but we are trending in a positive direction.
“We have had some phenomenal competition, which is great.”
He says the Red Wings are building on their strengths.
“Our power play is clicking at 33 per cent for the season, we have many strengths from goaltending and three solid defensive lines to lots of high-end talent and lots of young hard-working future stars,” Meyaard says.
Starting on Jan. 13, the Red Wings have 16 games remaining in the regular season, six at home and 10 on the road. The Red Wings wrap up the regular season March 9 when they visit the Mayerthorpe Northern Alberta Lightning. Their final home game of the regular season is on March 8 when they host the Fox Creek Ice Kings.