The season is over for the Westlock Senior ‘AA” Warriors after a 6-2 loss to the Morinville Kings Jan. 27, which capped the first-round, five-game opening round North Central Hockey League playoff series.
Team manager Joe Kuhar said the loss stings considering the Warriors outshot and outplayed the Kings in both weekend games — the Warriors downed Morinville 4-3 in Westlock Jan. 26. The series ended 3-1 in favour of the Kings, who posted two wins in Games 1 and 2 Jan. 20-21.
“The refereeing was probably some of the worst we’ve had all year,” he said. “It caused four power play goals against and our guys were a little upset. It was the difference in the outcome of the game which should not have happened.”
While the season is over, the Warriors aren’t hanging their skates up just yet. Kuhar noted the team was planning a final practice in the coming weeks to see the players off for the spring.
Many of the players are licking their wounds after a rough series that saw a number of cheap shots, boarding calls and game misconducts.
Head coach and team captain Mike Ivey was cross-checked head first into the boards near the end of Game 3.
“The thing about Mike is it might sting a little bit, but next time he’ll show up and he’ll be 100 per cent,” said Warriors forward Gord Bell.
“He’s a tough guy.”
Bell gave heavy props to Warriors goaltender Graeme Harrington for keeping them in the series as long as he could.
“He’s been our best player this entire series,” he said. “He’s stood on his head every night and kept us in a lot of games.”
Though the Warriors admit that the season did not go the way they had hoped, the team remained in good spirits and is already chomping at the bit to get back on the ice for next season.
Kuhar said he would help the team as long as he was able to.
“We want to make sure that the team carries forward,” he said. “So whatever it may take to make that happen, I’m in.”
