Back-to-back wins against teams in the bottom half of the standings lifted the St. Albert Flyers to within one point of the north conference leaders in the Alberta Minor Midget Hockey League.
The Flyers (15-1) also have two games in hand on the first-place Sherwood Park Squires (14-1-3) after extending their winning streak to 11 games in Wednesday’s 7-1 thrashing of the KC Centennials (3-12-2) Wednesday at Akinsdale Arena. Brenden Cunningham and Gabriel Chabot notched two goals apiece. Foster Rae, Jack Zubick and Jeff Harrison also scored. Tyler Dea had three assists. Landon Bow (9-0, 1.89 GAA) stopped 17 shots.
The night before, the Flyers posted a 6-3 win over the Maple Leafs (6-9-2) at Castledowns Arena. Luc Lalor potted a pair and singles were sniped by Chabot, Jake Mykitiuk, Braeden Farge and affiliate Zach Gonek. Tanner McCorriston (6-1, 2.57 GAA) faced 25 shots.
The Flyers skate Sunday in Spruce Grove against the fourth-place PAC Saints (9-5-2) at 8:15 p.m.
The Team Pacific roster for the World U17 Hockey Challenge features a pair of former midget AAA St. Albert Raiders.
Defenceman Nicholas Walters of the Everett Silvertips and left-winger Troy Bourke of the Prince George Cougars were among 11 Alberta players named to the 22-man line-up for the Dec. 28 to Jan. 5 tournament in Winnipeg.
Walters had one goal, 23 points and was minus-five in 16 games with the Silvertips. The St. Albert product was selected by the Silvertips in the first round, eighth overall, in the 2009 WHL bantam draft.
Bourke recorded nine goals and nine assists in 29 games with the Cougars, and was plus-seven. Last season the Onoway product was named the top forward in the Alberta Midget AAA Hockey League. He led the league with 27 goals (13 on the power play) and was second in points with 53 in 34 games. In the 2009 WHL bantam daft he was picked in the second round, 26th overall, by the Cougars.
St. Albert Raiders centre Nelson Gadoury was named to the U18 Alberta roster for the 2011 Canada Winter Games, Feb. 19 to 27 at Halifax, N.S.
In 20 games with the first-place Raiders (14-4-2) in the Alberta Midget AAA Hockey League, Gadoury scored one goal, added seven assists and collected 52 minutes in penalties.
The Edmonton Oil Kings grabbed the Calahoo product in the fifth round, 101st overall, in the 2010 Western Hockey League bantam draft. In bantam AAA he racked up 27 goals and 30 assists in 33 games with the Spruce Grove PAC Saints last season.
The coaching staff for Team Alberta includes St. Albert resident Serge Lajoie, the bench boss of the NAIT Ooks. The former standout defenceman with the St. Albert Saints and Alberta Golden Bears is one of the assistant coaches.
The video coach is Umberto Fiorillo, head coach of the bantam AAA St. Albert Sabres.
