The Barrhead Steelers continued their winning ways on Tuesday, Feb. 3, defeating a team from Edson on the road 4 to 1 in the first game of the second round of a two-game total point playoff series matchup. The team qualified for the second round by defeating St. Albert in two straight, winning by scores of 3 to 2 and 6 to 1, respectively.
This year, the Steelers are hoping to qualify for the Alberta Midget Provincial Championship A Division tournament which will be held in March.
Last year the team won the Provincial Midget B Championship, but this year the team has been bumped up a level and will be competing in the A Division due to the strong level of play the team has displayed.
Steelers’ head coach, Jason Murrell, said the team did not have a lot of time to prepare for the game saying he only found out about the game on Sunday, Feb. 1, after the tournament the team was hosting finished.
He said provincial championship qualifying playoff rounds are often scheduled on weekdays, between league games, often on short notice.
“We really did not know a lot about Edson going into the game,” Murrell said. “We knew they are doing quite well in a strong league (North Central League) the one we were hoping to play in this year.”
However, Murrell said it did not take long for the Steelers to discover that they were going to have their hands full.
“They are a very strong skating team with a couple of really talented players,’ he said, adding that the Steelers did not start the game as strong as they would have liked.
“They really took it to us for the first part of the game,” Murrell said. “I think our players were a little nervous, not knowing what to expect from an Edson team that is reportedly playing very well on a regular basis.”
Murrell added that once his players found their legs they played much better.
“We started keying on a couple of their players who were doing some very good things with the puck more effectively and made the most of our chances,” he said, adding that if it were not for the play of their starting goaltender, Logan Branden, the team would not have been in a position to win.
“He played extremely well,” Murrell said. “I think he faced 47 shots and only let one in. If Logan hadn’t kept us in the game, especially early on, we wouldn’t of had a chance.”
Murrell said Tanner Whiting also had a strong game for the Steelers, scoring a natural hat trick (three consecutive, uninterrupted goals). Brad Bujold rounded off the scoring.
The next game in the series was on Monday, Feb. 9. Due to press deadlines the results of the Feb. 9 game were not available.
To move on to the next round of the playoffs, the Steelers must either win the game or not lose to Edson by more than three goals.
“Essentially,” Murrell said, “we enter Monday’s game up by three goals.”
