The Barrhead Steelers took their first step towards returning to the provincial Midget A championships on Tuesday, Jan 24, at home by easily dispatching the CR Knights from Calahoo 10-0 in the first round of provincial zone qualifiers.
The game was originally scheduled to be the first game of a two-game, home-and-home total points series, but in provincial playoffs, if a team wins by 10 or more goals they are automatically declared the series winners.
Last season the Steelers won silver at the Midget A Provincial Championships.
Captain Tanner Whiting got the Steelers off to a quick start scoring a minute and a half into the opening frame. Justin Haltiner extended Barrhead’s lead five minutes later with a power-play goal.
Before the end of the period Barrhead turned on the red light four more times with goals by Mitchel Carstairs, Dylan Callihoo, Whiting (2) and Nicholas Botros.
In the second period the Steelers added three more unanswered goals to their total thanks to markers from Whiting (3), Callihoo (2) and Josh Starman.
Early in the third period, Callihoo completed his hat trick, ensuring the Steelers would move on to the next round.
Ty Steinbring stopped 22 shots for the win.
Head coach Trevor Whiting said he wasn’t surprised by the victory.
“We played a strong team game and while CR is a good team they usually play in the tier below us,” he said.
Whiting added the Steelers’ roster was also bolstered by three players from the Renegades, Barrhead’s other midget team, who won their own provincial qualifying series two days prior.
“They (Renegades) allowed us to roll three lines, which is a real help, especially with a small roster,” he said.
The club’s next playoff game hasn’t been announced yet, but the team will have a bye week as they await the next series. It is expected the final qualifying series will take place in late February.
Whiting suspects, in all likelihood, they will meet the Athabasca Hawks in the Zone 3 provincial qualifiers.
“Athabasca is a strong team and there are only 10 spots in the provincial championships and everyone wants to get there,” he said.
