The St. Albert Steel dodged a bullet to beat the Bonnyville Pontiacs in Wednesday's shootout.
After gassing leads of 2-0 and 4-2, the Steel survived a thrilling five-minute overtime period of three-on-three action before pulling out the 5-4 victory in the goalie-versus-shooter showdown before an announced crowd of 395 at Performance Arena.
"We proved tonight that we really can go with the top guns," said goalie Rhys Hadfield, the Steel's game star with 37 saves.
Bonnyville (9-2-0-2) is No. 2 in the Canadian junior A power rankings and is tied for second place in the Alberta Junior Hockey League's north division. The Steel (8-5) were sixth best in the north prior to Friday's game in Grande Prairie against the Storm (5-5-0-2). The score was unavailable at press time.
"We have a real good record but we can do even better. If we string together a couple of wins we'll be right up there in the standings," Hadfield said. "We can play with any team, we've just got to control the game for 60 minutes. We can't take any shifts off and have no short cuts."
In the shootout, Hadfield watched Tyler Henry miss the St. Albert net. Bonnyville's next shooter, AJHL scoring leader Matt Montesano, was stymied by a left pad save by Hadfield tight to the post.
Goals by Spencer Pommells and Reed Linaker in the shootout were YouTube material. Pommells scored off a dipsy-doodle move and Linaker undressed goalie Julien Laplante with some razzle-dazzle for the Steel's third win after regulation time and their first by shootout.
"It really shows that we're good in overtime. At 3-0 that's really good to see," Hadfield said.
The Steel led 2-0 after the first period on goals by Linaker (eighth in 10 games) and Derek Bacon (seventh), even though the home team was outshot 15-8.
In the middle frame, after Henry and Eric Peterson struck for Bonnyville before the 10-minute mark, Taylor Fraser lifted the Steel back on top with 3:42 left in the period. His eighth goal and 19th point with 10:34 left in the game was the team's 19th shot on net to take it 4-2.
Bonnyville replied by pumping eight shots at Hadfield while tallying twice in a nine-second span to force overtime. Dante Borrelli poked in the tying marker, then after the faceoff at centre ice, Henry busted in unchecked and scored top shelf with 3:34 remaining.
"We played pretty good but in that third period we kind of broke down the last four minutes of the game and they got two quick ones on us," said defenceman Thomas Ward-Cardinal, a newcomer from the Calgary Mustangs.
Hadfield kept the score intact with an alert save on a deflected point shot with 2:10 to go. After three periods, shots were 39-24 for Bonnyville.
In sudden death, Hadfield turned aside a pair of tricky shots, including a hair-raising opportunity by Bonnyville with Linaker minus his stick and the Steel outmanned in their end during a prolonged shift.
"I didn't mind 40 or so shots. You don't like to see that all the time but it was nice to see the pucks. For the most part they were all from the outside. I had a pretty good shot at stopping every shot," Hadfield said. "It was really good tonight. I had a good pre-game warm-up and I felt good from the first shot on."
The 11th start and 13th appearance between the pipes by Hadfield (8-5) was one of his stronger games. His 3.60 goals-against average ranks 23rd out of 35 AJHL goalies.
"As long as you keep playing, it really helps the confidence," said Hadfield, who tended the twine last season with the Grande Prairie Storm (2-1-1, 4.21 GAA in six games) and Nanaimo Clippers (2-6, 4.11 GAA in 13 games). "I've got a lot of confidence in the boys and I hope they do too in me. It looks like the coaches have a lot of confidence in me too and that just keeps me rolling."
Hadfield, 19, rebounded smartly from a shaky effort in last week's 7-2 loss in Spruce Grove against the AJHL champion Saints (8-2-0-1). The midget AAA product of the Southside Athletic Club got the hook after the Saints scored their fourth goal in a row to lead 4-1 with 56 seconds gone in period two.
"If I can keep playing consistent, hopefully I will get more ice time," Hadfield said.
New defenceman
St. Albert's third win in four games marked the Steel debut of Ward-Cardinal. He was brought on board when assistant captain Ryan Wilkinson quit the team and demanded a trade a day before the Steel played the Saints. The Steel shipped the 19-year-old defenceman (6-45-51 in 118 games) to the Mustangs for the 18-year-old Hobbema resident.
"Was I surprised? No, not really. Actually, I asked for a trade," said Ward-Cardinal. "I'm happy to be here. The guys are great."
He was in the starting line-up Wednesday, played a regular shift and saw time on the power play. He assisted on Fraser's second goal of the game and in overtime came close to netting the winner.
"I wouldn't say it was easy tonight but I thought I adjusted pretty good, " said Ward-Cardinal. "It was just new systems and whatnot that I had to get used to first here but everything seemed to go pretty good as the game went on."
In midget AAA with the 2008/09 Leduc Oil Kings, Ward-Cardinal recorded five of his six goals on the power play and added eight assists. He broke into the AJHL last season with the Calgary Royals and in 44 games notched eight goals — two more than Wilkinson had in his Steel career. He also chipped in with 16 assists and racked up 79 penalty minutes.
After an ankle injury curtailed his start to the season, the six-foot and 180-pound skater picked up points in five straight games upon his return to the Mustangs. He connected three times on the power play and had four helpers before the trade was finalized. In comparison, Wilkinson had one goal and six assists in seven games.
"I'm not as physical as some of the defencemen. I'm more of an offensive defenceman. I like jumping into the play," said Ward-Cardinal.
ICE CHIPS: The next home game is Oct. 23 versus the Brooks Bandits (5-5-0-3) at 7 p.m.
The Steel traded the rights of defenceman Kyle Aschim to the Victoria Grizzlies for the rights of forward Ryan Stanimir and future considerations. Aschim, 20, played for the Steel in 2008/09 and last season was with the Calgary Hitmen. Stanimir, 20, has bounced around the map with stops with the Burnaby Express, Cowichan Valley Capitals, Quesnel Millionaires, Merritt Centennials, Williams Lake Timberwolves and Nanaimo. In 121 games the West Vancouver product posted 34 goals, 38 assists and 130 PIM.
