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Warriors facing elimination in opening-round NCHL playoff series

Club down 0-2 to the Red Deer Rustlers, with Game 3 to be played in Westlock Feb. 8
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The Westlock Senior Warriors will need three-straight wins to stay alive in the North Central Hockey League playoffs following back-to-back weekend losses to the Red Deer Rustlers. Warriors goalie Chase Langdale did his part in Game 1 played Feb. 4 at the Rotary Spirit Centre, a 5-4 OT loss, and was named the game’s first star as he turned aside 35 of the 40 shots he faced.

WESTLOCK – It’s win or go home for the Westlock Senior Warriors following back-to-back weekend losses to the Red Deer Rustlers in the opening round of their best-of-five North Central Hockey League (NCHL) playoff series.

The Warriors suffered a heartbreaking 5-4 OT defeat to the Rustlers in Game 1 played Feb. 4 at the Rotary Spirit Centre (RSC), then had the wheels fall off in Game 2 played at the Penhold Multiplex Feb. 5 as the Rustlers struck for four-unanswered third period goals to win the contest 7-3 and take a 2-0 stranglehold of the series.

Warriors captain Mike Ivey said they probably deserved a better fate, especially in Game 1, but knows that none of that matters now with their season hanging in the balance. Simply, the club needs to win Game 3 back at the RSC this Wednesday, Feb. 8, at 8:40 p.m. to force a Game 4 on Saturday Feb. 11 back in Penold. And if they can win that game, they’ll come home for the deciding Game 5 to be played Sunday, Feb. 12, at 2:45 p.m.

“We’re not done yet, we have the belief that we can come back,” said Ivey Sunday night on the road heading back from Penhold. “We’ve had some big chances, especially in the third period of the first game, that we needed to bury and that happened again today … we just needed a bounce to get the lead. We’re two evenly-matched teams and it’s been tight, but now we need to find a way to get a win.

“So, we’re going to take it the only way we can and that’s one game at a time.”

In Game 1 played at the RSC Saturday night, the Warriors came out sluggish and went down 1-0 before Bryce Van Brabant was able to even the score at 8:39 of the first period. A goal from Mackenzie Mindus 1:40 into the second period followed by back-to-back powerplay goals from Garry Mindus and Zach Mills staked them to a 4-1 lead before the Rustlers replied with two of their own to make 4-3 after 40 minutes.

The Warriors appeared headed for the win in the third, but the Rustlers managed to tie the game with 35 seconds left on the clock to force OT. Into the extra period, the Rustlers only needed two-and-a-half minutes to deposit the winning goal past goalie Chase Langdale, who was stellar on the night and turned away 35 of the 40 shots he faced and was named the game’s first star.

As of 8 a.m., Monday, Feb. 6, full stats from Game 2 had not been posted to the NCHL website.

George Blais, TownandCountryToday.com

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