U15 provincial series with Wilkie and Unity goes to three games and OT

UNITY — A fast-paced second round provincial B hockey game between the U15 Unity Lazers and the Wilkie/Biggar National Outlaws in Unity Feb. 12 had fans on the edge of their seats with lead changes throughout the game. It was a must-win for Unity as they had lost the first match 3-2.

Nash Sperle, assisted by Connor Ralston and Gabriel Weber, opened the scoring for Unity early in the first period, giving Unity the first lead, 1-0.

Wilkie/Biggar soon retaliated with two powerplay goals, both courtesy of shots from Josh Tatton, assisted by Davin Dehr the first time and Emerson Cey the second, to end the period with a 2-1 lead.

The only scoring in the second period was a second goal from Sperle – Weber with his second assist – to tie up the game at 2-2.

Wilkie/Biggar seized the lead again early in the third with an unassisted goal from Holden Clark; but Brandt Gilbert, on a powerplay, tied the game back up halfway through the period. Daxon L’Heureux and Ralston were credited with the assists on Gilbert’s goal.

With less than seven minutes remaining, the score was tied 3-3, but at 6:42, Colter Husch, assisted by Rylan Fauth, gave Unity a 4-3 lead. That lead lasted until the last minute of the game when Cey scored unassisted for Wilkie/Biggar at 0:55 to tie the game again. Only 25 seconds later, Sperle, assisted by L’Heuruex, polished off his hat trick. With only 30 seconds left on the clock, that goal was the last of the game, giving the Lazers the 5-4 win.

With the series now tied at one game apiece, a third game was mandated. Under the current provincial rules, it was a 10-minute mini-game played immediately. Skaters had little rest and coaches had only a few minutes to strategize with their players at the benches while officials completed their duties and prepared for the next game.

Wilkie/Biggar soon took a 2-0 lead in the third game, opening the scoring with goals from Grayson Kirilenko, assisted by Clark at 7:49 and Cole Bannerman, assisted by Logan Johnson at 7:17.

Austin Gerein, unassisted, at 4:47, and Ethan Bertoia, assisted by L’Heureux on a powerplay at 3:33, then scored for Unity to tie the game.

With fans of both teams in the stands, as the last couple of minutes ticked down on the score clock, cries of “Shoot, shoot,” could be heard no matter at which end of the ice the action was happening.

With the mini-game ending in a 2-2 tie, sudden death overtime was called for. This time the players were able to return to their dressing rooms when the ice was flooded before overtime began.

Although a total of four goals were scored in 10 minutes in the mini-game, the break must have helped the goalies – National Outlaw Kaden Cholin and Lazer Noah Gumpinger – as the first 10 minutes of overtime were scoreless.

Dawson Grant put the game-winner in the net for the Lazers at 9:57. Joshua Delhommeau and Bertoia assisted.

Fans in attendance certainly had a worthy evening of entertainment with this exciting game which provided more than 80 minutes of play and where the outcome was in doubt until the very last second. Both teams are to be congratulated for their efforts, and good luck to the Unity Lazers as they move on to round three of provincials.