HJHL Roundup: January 26

Airdrie and Red Deer lived up to the hype as the two teams highlighted Saturday night across the HJHL with a 13-goal thriller.

Red Deer Vipers (7) – Airdrie Thunder (6)

RED DEER – Seven different players found the back of the net for the Red Deer Vipers as they skated to a thrilling 7-6 win over the Airdrie Thunder.

Mack Differenz, Justin Paarup and Aidan Wilson each finished with a goal and two helpers, while Connor Sullivan added a goal and assist for the Vipers (25-7-1). Keenan Smith, Jackson Goodall and Ryan Vandervlis rounded out the scoring, each netting a single.

Tyler Petrie led the way for the Thunder (32-3-0) with two goals and one assist, while Tristan Paquette, Rylan Plante-Crough, Cooper Page and Dane Bennett-Nimijean each found the back of the net once.

The game was highlighted by a crazy second period that saw the teams combine for nine goals and saw the game tied up at 1-1, 2-2, 3-3 and 5-5 when the buzzer sounded at the end of the frame.

Justin Anderson recorded the win between the pipes, stopping 31-of-37 shots along the way.

BOXSCORE

Stettler Lightning (5) – Mountainview Colts (3)

CARSTAIRS – Reigning HJHL Player of the Week Quade Cassidy had a four-point night as the Stettler Lightning upended the Mountainview Colts by a score of 5-3.

Cassidy finished with a goal and three helpers, while teammate Ethan Rost found the back of the net twice.

Matt Sylvester and Jonathan Fournier rounded out the offence for the Lightning (16-11-6), which got a stellar 40-save performance out of goaltender Indiana Kelly.

Ethan Woodward also finished with 40 saves in the Mountainview (20-13-2) crease, while Mitchell Visser, Reed Engman and Zane Leatherdale provided the offence.

BOXSCORE

Medicine Hat Cubs (6) – Strathmore Wheatland Kings (3)

STRATHMORE – A two-goal, one-assist outing off the stick of Chandler Aleman propelled the Medicine Hat Cubs to a 6-3 win over the Strathmore Wheatland Kings.

Mackenzie Fritzler, Tristan Stensrud, Noah Irvine and Logan Robertson rounded out the scoring for Medicine Hat (16-14-3), which scored three times on the man-advantage.

Rylee Hebert, Benjamin Kruse and Lucas Muenchrath replied for Strathmore (15-16-3), which got 28 saves from starting goaltender Brett Willan.

Brett Vanderveer made 21 saves in the Cubs’ crease, picking up his 11th win of the season in the process.

BOXSCORE

Okotoks Bisons (6) – Coaldale Copperheads (3)

COALDALE – The Okotoks Bisons closed the game for the top spot in the South to just a single point after knocking off the Coaldale Copperheads by a 6-3 score.

Devyn Stewart and Mitch Wolfe each finished with a goal and assist for the Bisons (25-7-3), while Devin Reagan turned aside 23-of-26 shots fired his way in net.

Evan Woods, Tyler Bordt, Dallas Otto and Nicolas Lush each chipped in with a single.

Jayden Smith tallied two of Coaldale’s (26-6-2) goals, while Jared Bainbridge had the other. Broc Merkl suffered the loss between the pipes, making 33 saves on the night.

BOXSCORE

Three Hills Thrashers (6) – Ponoka Stampeders (4)

THREE HILLS – A three-goal third period paced the Three Hills Thrashers to a 6-4 victory over the Ponoka Stampeders on Saturday.

Zachary Hall and Kevin Schrock each finished with a goal and assist for the Thrashers (2-30-1), while Sam Vanderstoop, Rory Van Doren, Cody Gardner and Marshall Wilson each chipped in with a single.

Devon Carroll was rock solid between the pipes, stopping 46-of-50 shots on the night.

Devin Anderson had a pair of goals for the Stampeders (9-24-2), while Kieran Bulloch and Ryan Harder each netted one goal and one helper.

BOXSCORE

High River Flyers (2) – Lomond Lakers (1)

CLARESHOLM – Recap to come…