With playoffs approaching and provincial playdowns underway, it’s been a dizzying time for Ponoka’s minor hockey clubs.
In regular season league play, the bantam Moose were the busiest this past week with three games in as many days. The club was in Bashaw Jan. 20 where they dumped Strathcona 9-2 on the strength of four shorthanded goals. The Moose got a pair of goals each from Erik Mathieu and Jake Simanton with the rest from Braeden Toporowski, Colter Bresee, Eric Taylor, Luke Bonnett and Mathias Sandin.
The Moose then edged out Sturgeon 5-4 the next day in Ponoka with Mathieu notching a hat trick and goals from Bresee and Sandin before the local squad was blanked 3-0 at home by Edson on Sunday.
The Fountain Tire Midget Wolves played host to Fort McMurray twice with the Wolves earning a 9-3 win Jan. 21, while Friday’s result was not available. Sam Neath scored twice for Ponoka in the win with singles from Cyrus Thompson, Lewis McDowell (2), Liam Buffalo, Rylee deJonge, Quinton Adam and Tristan Johnson.
Meanwhile, the Servus Credit Union bantams were dumped 10-2 in Maskwacis Jan. 17 with goals from Kael Street and Ethan Little.
The peewee Elks fell at home 6-5 to Hinton with scoring by Street, Luke Simanton, Liam Bishop, Josh David and Wyatt Avery while the Quality Paint and Collision peewees clobbered Fort Saskatchewan 11-3 on Jan. 20. The club got a pair each from Kevin Kammer, Dylan Jones and Jaiden Bandet with the others off the sticks of Parker Rice, Conner Keehn, Brock Auclair, Blake Harris and Parker Keehn.
On the female side, the Lacoka bantam Battle River Insurance squad was blanked 5-0 by Leduc Jan. 21 while the Lacoka midget club posted a pair of victories — 6-1 in Leduc Saturday and 11-0 over Edson in Lacombe on Sunday.
Provincial playoffs
Three squads opened their road to provincials last week, with the bantam Credit Union squad taken out early, losing 13-1 in Eckville while the atom Vantage Physiotherapy lost 5-3 to Devon in Ponoka Jan. 18 and the bantam Moose were at home to Devon Jan. 19 (result unavailable).
The results from other games — atom McDonalds home to Lacombe and Vantage Physio in Devon, both Jan. 23, as well as the midget Wolves at home versus Rimbey last night — were unavailable at press time.
The trek will begin for the peewee Quality Paint and Collision tomorrow night (Jan. 26) in Ponoka at 7:30 p.m. versus Wetaskiwin, while the peewee Elks host Blackfalds Jan. 30 (6:15 p.m.) and the Lacoka bantam team hosts West Central in Ponoka Jan. 28 (12:30 p.m.). Meanwhile, Game 2 in a pair of series go tomorrow night (Jan. 26 with the bantam Moose in Devon and the midget Fountain Tire Wolves in Rimbey.
Saddle up: Home ice will be busy once again this weekend. Friday it starts with the Lacoka bantam girls versus Camrose (6:15 p.m.) followed by the midget Wolves taking on Jasper (8:30 p.m.). Saturday’s lineup feature Vantage atoms hosting Hardisty/Hughenden (10:15 a.m.), Lacoka midgets home to West Central (5 p.m.) and the midget Wolves taking on Athabasca (7:30 p.m.). On Sunday, the Wolves are in Bashaw (5 p.m.), while the peewee Elks host Camrose (noon).