It took double-overtime Saturday night in Bonnyville and a late-game defensive stand Sunday afternoon in Killam but when the dust cleared the Cold Lake Jr. B Ice found itself up two games to none in the best-of-seven championship final against the Killam Wheat Kings.
The series continues this weekend as the teams face off for game three Friday night at 8:30 p.m. in Killam before returning to the R.J. Lalonde Arena in Bonnyville, Cold Lake's temporary and more spacious home during the championship series, for game four Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Ice head coach Neil Langridge said his team is happy with the two wins but said nerves may have played a factor in Cold Lake's slow starts in both games.
The Ice entered to a loud ovation from a large raucous crowd at the R.J. Saturday but despite the home ice advantage, the team found itself down 1-0 after the first period.
Cold Lake poured it on in the second and third periods, out-shooting Killam 60-28 in the game but the Wheat Kings' goalie stood on his head, keeping his squad in it.
With the game tied 3-3, the teams prepared for sudden death overtime. The first five-minute frame solved nothing, so it was off to a second overtime period.
The teams traded chances before Cold Lake forward Denis Cadrin broke the deadlock, scoring his seventh goal of the playoffs and capping the game one win.
It was much of the same in game two, as the Ice found itself down 2-0 after the first frame.
“We came out a little flat in both games,” said Langridge. “But you gotta hand it to Killam, they've come to play and their goalie has been a rock in net for them.”
The coach said he had a few words with his team during the first intermission of Sunday's game and the team responded well, scoring three unanswered goals in the second, before Ice forward Niko Bourget put away the game winner early in the third.
The Wheat Kings added a late goal but Cold Lake was able to stave off Killam's attack and hang on for the win.
“The plan stays the same,” said Langridge heading into games three and four. “The biggest thing is we have to continue to get pucks to the net and crash it hard. We have to get traffic in front of the net and continue to create havoc. It goes to show, when all four of our goals (in game two) came from going to the net and crashing and banging.”
Langridge said his team will continue to take it one game at a time and is not looking past Killam.
“We know Killam's no push-over. They're in the final for a reason,” said Langridge. “Our boys realize it's going to be a battle every night from here on out in order to bring that championship back to Cold Lake.”
The Ice swept the Lloydminster Bandits in the final last season to win Cold Lake's first ever North Eastern Alberta Junior B Hockey League championship and the team is now looking to win its second in a row this season.
Should game five, six or seven be necessary, they are scheduled as follows:
Game 5 – March 28 in Bonnyville at 8:30 p.m.
Game 6 – March 30 in Killam at 8:30 p.m.
Game 7 – March 31 in Bonnyville at 7:30 p.m.
