The Cold Lake Ice didn't have the weekend they were hoping for, ending with one win, and two losses in their three games.
Starting off on Friday night, the Ice were down in Frog Lake hoping to continue their three-game win streak. It didn't pan out that way. Despite being up 3-0 after the first, the T-Birds came back strong beating the Ice 5-3.
Back on the road the following night, Cold Lake was up against the second place Killam Wheat Kings. The Ice bounced back from their loss the previous night, taking a 7-3 victory over the Wheat Kings. Christian Nypower and Dillon Kalinski each picked up two goals in the win.
On home ice for their third game of the weekend versus the Onion Lake Border Chiefs, the Ice got off to a slow start not getting on the scoreboard until the third period. While they managed to hold the game at 2-2 until the end of regulation, a quick goal from the Border Chiefs in overtime won them the game.
Ice fall to Frog Lake
The Cold Lake Ice got the game started on Friday night. Mackenzie Zarowny got the momentum going for the Ice, notching the first goal against the T-Birds 8:30 into the first. At the 16-minute mark in the period Taylor Anshelm kept the pace up for the Ice, getting the puck past the Frog Lake netminder.
With just 37-seconds left in the period, off a pass from Kurt Franklin, Anshelm tipped the puck in for his second goal of the night to give Cold Lake a 3-0 lead.
Their first period success didn't transfer over into the second. While they managed to hold off Frog Lake's offence until 12:28 in, a scoreless period for the Ice and three goals for the T-Birds in the second half of the period left the game tied at three heading into the third.
Halfway into the final frame, the T-Birds managed to find the back of the net once again and take the lead. With just over a minute left in the game, the Ice pulled goalie Cody Janzen in favour of the extra attacker. Unable to use it to their advantage, Frog Lake shot in an empty net goal, securing their win with 36-seconds left in the game. The final score was 5-3 for the T-Birds.
“We're up three nothing and the guys are thinking they're going to score 12-points each again and guys got selfish and quit working,” said head coach Scott Hood. “We played a great first period, the best first period we played all year. We lose our focus thinking we're going to win every game; I keep telling them they've got to work hard every game and we got away from that tonight.”
Cold Lake takes down Killam
The Ice were down in Killam on Saturday night for their second of three games over the weekend. It was deja vu as the Zarowny got the Ice on the board first once again, firing the puck into the net just under four minutes into the game. Nypower kept the momentum going for Cold Lake, nabbing his 10th goal of the season and bringing the Ice up 2-0 by the end of the first.
Just a little over seven minutes into the second frame, Ice forward Donavan Bibeau found the back of the net. At the 12:28 mark in the period, newcomer Ryan Evans notched his first goal with the Cold Lake Ice.
“(I'm) relieved, it's good to get that monkey off my back. The first one is always the worst one,” said Evans. “I'm enjoying it; the guys are great, the hockey is great and we work good as a team; it's fun.”
Heading into the third with a 4-0 lead, the Wheat Kings finally got on the scoreboard six minutes into the period. The Ice quickly shut down any hope of a Killam comeback as Nypower netted his second goal on the night, just over a minute and a half later.
Two goals 30-seconds apart from Kalinski brought the Ice up 7-1 with nine minutes left in the game. While the Wheat Kings managed to grab two more goals, it was too little, too late as the Ice held the score at 7-3 until the end of the game.
Ice lose in OT to Border Chiefs
At home on Sunday night, the Ice picked up one point in their overtime loss to the Onion Lake Border Chiefs.
The game got off to a slow start, remaining scoreless for the entire first period. Just under four minutes into the second, the Border Chiefs managed to sneak the puck in the net for the lone goal of the period.
Less than two minutes into the final frame, the Ice finally got on the scoreboard thanks to a goal from Evans. Chad Shultheiss followed suit, firing the puck in the net to give the Ice their first lead of the night at the seven minute mark in the third. Near the halfway point in the third, the Border Chiefs answered with a goal of their own tying the game at 2-2.
With neither team able to put a scoring play together in the remainder of the period, the game headed into overtime. Less than a minute into four-on-four play, Onion Lake scored to end the game with a final score of 3-2.
“I think everyone's got to buy into our systems and show a little heart, you can't just be passengers on this team, every line has got to be going every night,” said Schultheiss.
Evans added, “We need to be less fancy and get more shots on net, work harder in our defensive zone, crashing bodies more, harder forechecks, and other than that just tighten everything up.”
Sitting in fourth spot in the NEAJBHL standings with 34-points, the Ice only have four games left in the regular season.
“We've got to win all four games, try to get home ice advantage. We've got to start playing playoff hockey now, we can't wait until playoffs we've got to start right now,” said Schultheiss.
The Ice will be looking to hold onto their spot next weekend, as they play three of their final four games. Starting out on Friday night, the Cold Lake Ice will be at home to take on the first place Wainwright Bisons. Puck drop is 8 p.m. The Ice will be down in Lloydminster on Saturday and Sunday against the Bandits.
