Slash stumbles
The St. Albert Slash suffered their second loss of the season in regulation time in the Alberta Female Hockey League.
The 2-1 setback against the host Calgary Fire (12-9-1) left the Slash with a 19-2-1 record with eight games remaining before the Final Frozen Four provincials in March.
In the second period, Bronwyn Boucher knotted it at one on the power play while Calgary’s special teams scored on the penalty kill and with the man advantage.
Rebecca Boswell (5-5-1, 2.88 GAA) stopped 26 Slash shots and Mabel Maltais (11-1, 0.99 GAA) faced 13 shots.
The day before in St. Albert, the Slash defeated the Red Deer Chiefs 4-3 in a shootout after the five-minute overtime period.
A pair of goals in the middle frame by the Chiefs (2-18-2) tied it at three.
The only shootout goal in three attempts by both teams was sniped by Jaden Bogden.
Captain Alli Reich, Jenna Goodwin and Natalie Kieser potted goals in the opening period.
Elizabeth Campbell (0-9-1, 4.46 GAA) of the Chiefs was tested 34 times and Holly Borrett (8-1-1, 0.99 GAA) made 17 saves.
Next weekend the Esso Cup midget AAA national champions three years in a row have two games on tap against Calgary at Go Auto Arena.
Steel super strong
The St. Albert Steel did it again.
The second win for the midget AA team against the St. Albert Source for Sports Crusaders was 8-6 in Friday’s rivalry game in the Northern Alberta Hockey League.
The first victory was 6-4 Dec. 14 to halt a 12-game winning streak by the defending Playoff Cup champions.
In the rematch, the Steel led 3-1 after the first period and tallied four unanswered goals in the middle frame.
Brooks Robinson’s hat-trick paced the attack.
Aidyn Hutchinson, Joshua Cyr, Gabriel Moore, Luke Aston and Brett Joseph produced singles.
Hutchinson and Brad Pollard also collected two assists.
Brady Harroun of the Crusaders potted a pair for a three-point night.
Ethan Pool, Carter MacDonald, Hayden Carlson and Anwar Moukhaiber also scored as the Crusaders suffered their first loss after four wins.
Shots were 33-32 for the Crusaders. The netminders were affiliate Josh McCormack of the REM 15AA St. Albert Royals for the Steel and Cole Crozier (four GA on 21 shots) and Jack Robinson (four GA on 11 shots) for the Crusaders.
The Steel made it four wins in five games in Saturday’s 4-1 decision against the Lloydminster Blazers (11-12-2) in St. Albert.
Three goals in the last period to snap a 1-1 deadlock included two with the man advantage as the home team finished with 33 shots.
Hutchinson’s four-point performance featured a pair of goals. Cyr and Brett Reiter each scored once and added two assists.
Affiliate netminder Rhys MacGillivrey turned aside 26 shots for the Steel.
In the Besa division, the Steel (19-5-1) and Crusaders (19-2-1) share first place with 39 points and in the overall standings they rank second behind MLAC (19-3-2) of the Anderson division and NEBC Yukon Trackers (19-5-2) of the Milltech division.
Thursday the Steel host the Strathcona Warriors (5-16-4) at 8:15 p.m. at Go Auto Arena and Friday’s game between the Crusaders and Leduc Roughnecks (3-22) starts at 8:45 p.m. at Mark Messier Arena.
Sunday the Crusaders and SSAC Don Wheaton (9-15-3) faceoff at 8 p.m. at Mark Messier Arena.
Royals rolling
January was a month to remember for the St. Albert Royals.
The bronze medallists at the Tournament of Champions also posted a winning record of five wins and two ties in the Rural & Edmonton Midget 15AA Hockey League.
The Royals finished last weekend’s league-sanctioned tournament with four wins and one loss and the last game was 4-2 against the Okotoks Oilers in the bronze playoff.
A 4-3 loss to the Strathmore Storm prevented the Royals from playing in the gold-medal game.
Tyler Fitka finished tied for the tournament's scoring lead with nine points in five games.
In league play, the team’s fifth win in a row was 5-1 Sunday against the PAC Saints (3-20-2) in Spruce Grove.
The fifth-place Royals (13-9-6) travel Saturday to play the first-place Hockey Central Panthers (20-3-3) at 7:45 p.m. at Sylvan Lake.
