Richard Froese
South Peace News
The High Prairie Red Wings have finally lost their first game of the season in Greater Metro Hockey League play.
High Prairie lost to the Northern Alberta Tomahawks 6-4 in Enoch Dec. 9, despite leading 3-0 in the first period.
The winning streak ends at 23 games.
Northern Alberta scored the game-winning goal on the powerplay with 1:02 left in the third period.
The Red Wings pulled goaltender Brad Roncin for a sixth attacker, before the Tomahawks scored into the empty net with six seconds left on the clock.
Roncin was busy in net as the Red Wings outshot the Tomahawks 34-30.
The Red Wings led 3-0 just 2:23 into the game but the Tomahawks outscored the Red Wings 6-1 the rest of the way.
Nolan Noskey, Andrew Gauchier, and JD Sunshine scored the first three goals for the Red Wings, who led 3-2 after the first period but trailed 4-3 after the second period.
Braydan Auger tied the score 4-4 eight minutes into the final period.
Bryant Joseph netted four goals for the Tomahawks.
Red Wing head coach Trent Meyaard says the Red Wings got off to a flying start before the Tomahawks geared up.
“On our first four shifts, we scored three goals and everything went it,” Meyaard said.
“Then we couldn’t beat the Tomahawks’ goalie Skyler Di Lallo – he was rock solid.”
Meyaard He credits the Tomahawks for the well-deserved win.
“The effort from both teams was there, but Bryant Joseph and Di Lallo were definitely the difference makers,” he says.
Two of the Red Wings’ top leading scorers, Keegan Ferguson and Dayton Shantz, were ill and out of the lineup, he noted.
Looking forward, the coach says the Red Wings need to cut down on penalties.
“We need to correct some discipline areas as we were in the penalty box a lot,” he said.
The next night, the Red Wings crushed the visiting Slave Lake Icedogs 11-1. Dallas Medicine Shield scored two goals for the Red Wings, who led 6-0 after the first period and 9-1 after two periods.
Harlan Noskey, Cam Blackhorse, Braydan Auger, KC Papastesis, Maven McMaster, JD Sunshine, Carter Auger and Andrew Gauchier also scored.
High Prairie goaltender Joseph Isaac was steady in the crease but he did not have to be. The Red Wings outshot the Icedogs 69-23, including 33-0 in the first period.