All they need to do was ensure they were on the positive side of the scoreboard.
And that’s exactly what the Athabasca Hawks Midget B squad did Saturday night in the second game of their Sturgeon Pembina Hockey League semifinal at the Athabasca Regional Multiplex.
The Hawks dispatched the Edson Bruins 6-4 to take the two game-total goal series 11-6, after a 5-3 win in Edson Mar. 1.
The Bruins opened the scoring and got some momentum when they capitalized on a Hawks turnover at their own blueline, putting in the back of the net two passes later.
That was one of the few mistakes the Hawks made in the first period as they carried much of the play, outshooting Edson 11-3.
Athabasca was able to tie the game up with just over two minutes left in the opening frame, as Jayce Matson cruised out front from the corner and lifted a backhand over the Edson netminder and into the top shelf.
Jordan Epp put the Hawks in the lead five and a half minutes into the second after putting a nice move on the Edson defence and then getting the goalie to bite on a deke before stuffing the puck through the five-hole.
The visitors tied it up midway through the period when a long shot floated past a screened Ryan Plat to tickle the twine.
However, the Hawks would grab hold of the game with two goals in a two minute span late in the second.
Joe Lamoureux notched the first one on the powerplay with just over three minutes to go. That was followed up by Matthew Haggerty letting a wrist shot go from the faceoff dot to the left of the Edson goalie that found its way into the net with slightly more than a minute left.
Chandler Andres put the Hawks by three with a powerplay goal a minute and a half into the third and Tyrell Parker drove the final nail into the Edson club’s season with his goal at the three minute mark of the period.
Edson would get two late goals, but the result was already decided by then.
Hawks head coach Ron Bay was less than pleased with the team’s start, but things got better as the game progressed.
“We just didn’t make passes or forecheck well early on. We didn’t look very sharp I thought,” Bay said.
“We didn’t allow any odd-man rushes and did get better as the game went on.”
The Hawks must now prepare for what will be there toughest test of the season, but will have the advantage of home ice in the best-of-three final series versus the Edson Blades.
“We tied and lost to them this season so it should be close,” Bay stated, but the teams haven’t faced each other since December.
“We haven’t played each other in three months, so it’s going to be a bit of an unknown.”
Even with his team having the upper hand in starting the series at home as well as having the extra home game, Bay figures they could be the underdog in the final.
“Having not seen them for nearly half the season and with everything that went on at the end of the year, we were only four points up on them in the standings. That said, I think they may have the upper hand,” he said.
As of press time, the dates for the final games had not yet been determined.
Bantams second
Athabasca’s Bantam B2 club were no match in the league final versus Mayerthorpe.
The locals were in the opener Thursday at the Multiplex until the third, losing 12-5.
Things got tougher on Saturday as the Hawks lost 10-2 in Mayerthorpe
“Mayerthorpe is a strong team that didn’t lose all year,” said head coach Dustin Chisholm.
“Our team played hard all year, so second is definitely a success for us.”
More Playoffs
The Novice Spider Hawks and the Atom A Hawks are still in playoff mode.
The Atoms were to finish their semifinal against Mayerthorpe this weekend, while the Novice Spider Hawks kicked off their league final in Slave Lake Sunday. Results for both teams were unavailable at press time.
