The Westlock Senior ‘AA’ Warriors are settling into their groove and playing the kind of hockey they want to play — with the results on the score sheets to prove it.
The locals were in high spirits after a 5-4 win Dec. 6 in Drayton Valley against the Wildcats, who are the top-rated team in the North Central Hockey League.
The win extends the Warriors’ current streak to three, which has rejuvenated the team after a bit of trouble through November.
“It’s awesome,” coach Joe Kuhar said. “The guys realize they can do it, and now it’s a matter of, being new in the league, just adjusting our game to the teams we’re playing.”
The Warriors came out swinging in Drayton Valley, with two first-period goals from Alex Belzevick and Evan Kuhar giving the Warriors an early 2-0 lead, but the defense slipped a little the latter half of the period, with the Wildcats regaining the lead 3-2.
The second period saw Westlock pull ahead again after a goal from Kolbe Waldner and a second goal from Belzevick. The Wildcats managed to tie things up 4-4, though, forcing the Warriors to come out aggressively in the third.
Within a minute and a half, Evan Kuhar potted the game-winning goal with an assist from Clayton Herzog, and a tight Warriors defense helped Westlock hold on for a victory.
“We played our game and we played our system and it worked with a ‘W’ for us,” coach Kuhar said.
The win gives Westlock a 6-5 record, putting the Warriors comfortably in third place in the league’s north division. On top of that, Kuhar’s pair of goals pulled him up to the top of the league’s goal-scorers, and has him tied for first-place in points.
“It definitely impacts the players — the confidence level is there and there’s some good offense,” the coach said. “We know we’ve got the talent to put the puck in the net.”
Having one of the league’s top point-scorers on the team can be a double-edged sword, though, with opponents sometimes changing their game to try to shut that player down.
“They tend to zero in on particular players and it can work against you, as well.”
The club’s last match before the Christmas break will be in Mayerthorpe this Friday, Dec. 13, against the Whitecourt Wild. In 2014, the Warriors face the Wild Jan. 3 in Westlock.
Coach Kuhar said he believes the Warriors will stand up well against the Wild, who have a comparable record.
“It doesn’t concern me at all. I think we have a little more depth than they do and I think our goaltending will prevail in that match-up again them,” he said.
“I’m confident we should be able to pull out one of the two, if not get a couple of wins moving forward.”
