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Hockey Digest

Playoff updates for the Raiders and Sabres, plus Slash coverage
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SLIDING BY – Tyson Greenway of the St. Albert Nektar Raiders squeezes past a check from Kevin Bachul of the Canadian Athletic Club in the north division semifinal in the Alberta Midget AAA Hockey League. The Raiders won game three 4-1 Sunday at Akinsdale Arena to sweep the best-of-five series. Friday the Raiders host the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers in the best-of-five north final. Faceoff is 7:30 p.m. at Akinsdale Arena. Game two is 5:15 p.m. Sunday at JRC Arena and game three is 7:45 p.m. Wednesday at Akinsdale. DAN RIEDLHUBER/St. Albert Gazette

Raiders playoffs

The St. Albert Nektar Raiders face off against the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers in the north division final of the Alberta Midget AAA Hockey League.

The best-of-five series starts 7:30 p.m. Friday at Akinsdale Arena.

Game two is 5:15 p.m. Sunday at JRC Arena and game three is 7:45 p.m. Wednesday at Akinsdale.

If needed, game four is March 15 at 7:45 p.m. at JRC and game five is March 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Akinsdale.

The winner advances to the best-of-five AMHL provincial final against the Calgary Buffaloes (24-7-3) or Calgary Royals (18-13-3).

The Raiders (19-11-4, 116 GF/92 GA) and Rangers (19-13-2, 106 GF/94 GA) finished first and second, respectively, in the north standings and the scores in league play were 3-0 Rangers Nov. 11 at St. Albert and 5-1 Raiders Jan. 6 at Fort Saskatchewan.

Both teams had first-round byes and in the best-of-five north semifinals the Raiders swept the Canadian Athletic Club (15-12-7) and the Rangers did the same thing against the Grande Peace Storm (17-13-4).

Sunday’s 4-1 series clincher for the Raiders at Akinsdale featured goals by Brad Adams, Carson Henry, Mathieu Gautier and captain Erik Boers, plus two assists by Mathew Rathbone.

Shots were 41-34 for the Raiders in support of netminder Evan Fradette. The Mac’s Cup tournament MVP posted a 1.33 GAA and .951 save percentage as the starter in all three playoff games.

Boers, Henry and Brady Nicholas finished with four points apiece.

Boers, Henry and Gautier also potted a pair each while Nicholas collected three assists.

Sabres playoffs

The St. Albert Gregg Distributors Sabres are one win from advancing to the north conference final in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League.

The Sabres can also sweep the best-of-three nitro north division final tonight against the SSAC Southgate Lions. Faceoff is 7:45 p.m. at Akinsdale Arena.

If a third and deciding game is needed, it will be played Thursday at 8:15 p.m. at Callingwood Arena.

The winner will battle the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers (22-5-6) or Lloydminster Bobcats (21-6-6) of the charger north division for the right to compete for the AMBHL provincial championship.

The Sabres (13-15-5, 98 GF/103 GA) and SSAC (12-14-7, 97 GF/127 GA) tied for third in the nitro standings and in Monday’s series opener the 2018 provincial finalists won 5-2 at Millwoods Arena.

Carter Kowalyk, Zakk Makeiff (power play), Michael Romeo, Liam Cochrane and Ryan Arnold scored on 21 shots by the Sabres and Teagan Kendrick (2.33 GAA and .933 save percentage) faced 33 shots for his third playoff win in a row.

In the first playoff round, the Sabres beat the division-leading KC Squires (20-9-4, 133 GF/95 GA) 3-2 on Marko Stolic’s overtime winner in game one and 4-3 Friday in St. Albert as Cochrane, Aidan Taylor, Ryan Arnold and Romeo found the back of the net and Kendrick was tested 28 times. Kowalyk and Ben Belyea also notched two assists apiece.

Cochrane leads the Sabres in playoff scoring with five points after piling up a team-high 19 goals and 44 points in the regular season.

Slash golden

The last regular-season game for the midget AAA St. Albert Slash in the Alberta Female Hockey league was a golden moment for the two-time defending Esso Cup national champions.

Jaden Bogden, Isabelle Lajoie and Brooklyn Schroeder returned from the Canada Winter Games in Red Deer with their gold medals from the U18 tournament as the Slash blanked the Calgary Fire 4-0 to finish 26-3-1 (119 GF/26 GA) in league play.

Brianna Sank (13-2-1, 0.81 GAA) pitched her league-high ninth shutout and the team’s 15th by stopping 15 shots.

Jenna Goodwin, Mackenzie Kordic, Allison Reich and Lajoie scored as the Slash racked up 32 shots against the third-place Fire (19-8-3).

Kiah Vail, who played for the Northwest Territories at the Games, added two assists.

Madison Willan also picked up an assist to finish as the AFHL’s leading scorer with 24 goals, including a league-best seven on the power play, 27 assists and 51 points for her second scoring title in three years.

Second behind Willan in AFHL scoring were Bogden’s 32 points, Kordic’s 20 goals and Goodwin’s 18 assists.

The Slash will now prepare for the Final Frozen Four provincials March 22 to 24 at Go Auto Arena.

The winner hosts the Pacific Region national qualifier in early April.

The 11th annual Esso Cup is April 21 to 27 at Sudbury, Ont.

Meanwhile, Saturday’s 2-1 gold-medal victory for Alberta over Quebec at the Games was highlighted by Bogden’s first goal of the tournament to break a 1-1 tie in the second period.

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