After watching Team Canada suffer a third-period letdown at the World Junior Championship, the St. Albert Sabres experienced the same fate in Wednesday’s 6-4 loss to the visiting Leduc Oil Kings.
The match featured two of the top four teams in the north conference of the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League and they came out with guns firing right from the puck drop. The Sabres (15-6-3) let in three goals on 10 shots in the first period and trailed 3-2. One of the goals by Leduc (16-8-1) midway through the period resulted in the exchange of netminder Patrick Gora in favour of Patrick Dea.
Sabres assistant coach Rob Parrotta believes some of the tallies Leduc scored were the product of the hockey gods.
“They got some lucky bounces in the game. That’s what happens when you work hard — you can make your own luck, he said.
After bringing their game to another level in the second on goals by Paul Lovsin and Brett Smythe, the Sabres entered the last frame with a narrow 4-3 lead. Their late advantage would disintegrate however, after Leduc defensive standout Kord Pankewicz kicked the opposition’s offence into first gear with a pair of snipes from the point, along with an additional helper.
“He’s a dynamic player, a big guy who skates and shoots well. He is the total package,” said Parrotta.
He noted the most significant factor that played into the team’s second home loss of the season was a lack of production from special teams compared to the previous contest, Sunday’s 6-2 win against the Spruce Grove PAC Saints (14-4-5) at Akinsdale Arena.
“We scored a big power play goal to give us insurance and push us forward to the win. Today, we had the same opportunity and failed to capitalize and that right there was the difference in the game.”
The next game is Sunday in Sherwood Park against the Flyers (13-8-1) at 6 p.m.
ICE CHIPS: The Sabres are 9-2-1 at home and 6-4-2 on the road.
Representing the Sabres at the league all-star game today in Lethbridge is Gora (9-3-2, 2.40 GAA), Smythe (34 points in 23 games) and defenceman Zack Gonek (16 points in 18 games).
At the upcoming John Reid Memorial Tournament, the Sabres host Red Deer Rebels White (Jan. 20 at 10:45 a.m.), Phoenix Junior Coyotes (Jan. 20 at 7:30 p.m.) and Burnaby Winter Club (Jan. 21 at 2:15 p.m.) at Performance Arena.
The 16-team draw also features the Airdrie Xtreme, Calgary Bisons, Calgary Royals, Kamloops Blazers, Kelowna Pursuit of Excellence Academy, Notre Dame Hounds, Seafair Islanders, SSAC Southgate Lions, Winnipeg Hawks, Leduc, Sherwood Park and Spruce Grove.
Teams are divided into four pools to determine the playoff pairings in the A, B and C divisions. In the A bracket the semifinals go Jan. 22 at 1:45 p.m. at Mark Messier Arena and 2:15 p.m. at Troy Murray Arena.
The final is 2 p.m. Jan. 23 at Performance.
