The Carrot River Outback Thunder are battling the Saskatoon Quakers in the Prairie Junior Hockey League North semifinals.
In Game 1, the Outback Thunder outgunned the Quakers, 9-8. The Quakers, who topped the PJHL regular season standings, tied the series at 1-1 with a 4-2 win in the second contest. Game 3 of the best-of-seven series was set for Wednesday after the Review’s deadline.
“Anyone who thought we were going to roll over them after winning one game isn’t being realistic,” said Trevor Logan, the Outback Thunder’s head coach. “If we are going to win this series, it’s going to be because we battled longer and harder than they do.”
Carrot River hosts Game 4 on Friday night. Game 5 is Saturday in Saskatoon. If needed, Game 6 would be on Sunday in Carrot River with game seven on Wednesday in Saskatoon.
The Outback Thunder, who finished fifth in the division, got to the North semifinals by upsetting the division’s No. 4-seeded Saskatoon Westleys, 2-1, in a Survivor Series. Carrot River dropped Game 1, 5-2, but tied the series with a 4-2 Game 2 victory. Last week the Outback Thunder closed out the series with a 2-1 victory.
“We’ve known all along that our team has had the potential to play with any team in this league and the last two games of this series we proved that,” said Kolton Holmen, a Carrot River goalie, after Game 3 of the Westleys series.
Of the North semifinals, Holmen said:
“We’ve got another tough series ahead of us, but we’re going to play with our backs against the wall with nothing to lose.”
North Finals, Game 1
Outback Thunder 9, Quakers 8
In a high-scoring affair where the teams combined for 17 goals, Carrot River’s Connor Tuffs scored the last – and game winning – goal with 3:24 remaining in the third period on March 2. Tuffs had a two-on-two with Terrell Draude going to the net.
“I looked off the goalie and tried to thread the needle to Draude,” Tuffs said. “The puck ended up getting deflected off the second defensemen’s stick and in. Taking the puck to the net really pays off.”
Coach Logan said it was nice to see his team open up on the scoreboard, but that it was tough to give up eight goals. The Quakers took a 3-0 lead in the first period. The Outback Thunder responded and cut it to 3-2 before the Quakers grabbed a 4-2 lead at the end of the first period.
At the start of the second period, the Quakers opened up its second three-goal lead, 5-2. The Outback Thunder rallied again, but trailed 6-5 at the end of the second session. The third period featured three ties and as many lead changes. Tuffs came through with the game winner.
“I was pleased that our guys never gave up even when we got down a few goals,” Logan said. “We just kept battling in what seemed like a next goal wins type of night.”
The Quakers usually play their home games at the Rod Hamm Memorial Arena. Last Friday’s contest was at the University of Saskatchewan’s Rutherford Arena.
“It was an odd night in a rink neither of us are familiar with,” Logan said.
Tuffs had a hat trick for the Outback Thunder. Kyle Njaa and Cody Chasse both had two goals. Draude and Jordan Borstmayer also scored. Holmen made 34 saves on 42 shots. Saskatoon goalie Austin Swystun had 29 saves.
North Finals, Game 2
Quakers 4, Outback Thunder 2
In a much lower scoring affair on Feb. 3 in Carrot River, the Quakers evened the series with a 4-2 win.
“Last night it was a completely different game,” Logan said in a Sunday interview. “I think both teams realized they had to be better defensively and it was a lot tighter checking, more playoff style game than Friday.”
The teams were tied at 1-1 after the first period. The Quakers led 2-1 after the second period and outscored Carrot River, 2-1, in the final session.
“I think both teams were a bit fatigued,” Logan said. “At the end of the night, they were able to capitalize on one more of our mistakes than we did on theirs, if you don’t factor in the empty net goal at the end.”
Draude and Chasse had Carrot River’s goals. Holmen made 27 saves, while Saskatoon’s Derrick Hucul had 21.
Survivor Series, Game 3
Outback Thunder 2, Westleys 1
With their season on the line, the Outback Thunder persevered for a 2-1 victory over the Saskatoon Westleys. Carrot River won their best-of-three series 2-1.
Chasse scored in the first period to put the Outback Thunder on top, 1-0, on the road. The Westleys tied things up at 1-1 in the second period. Njaa scored the game winner for Carrot River in the third period. Holmen stopped all but one of the 19 shots he faced. Carson Bogdan made 36 saves for the Westleys.
