The Saddle Lake Warriors Junior B hockey team lost both of its games last weekend, first against the Killam Wheat Kings on Friday, and then against the Cold Lake Ice in an away game on Saturday.
In the loss against Killam, four of the Warriors’ five goals were scored by wunderkid Jared Cunningham, who had a hat-trick in the first period, and who scored another unassisted goal in the third period. Patrick Gladue contributed the Warriors’ fourth goal in the second period. However, the Wheat Kings would outscore the Warriors by five goals, to win the game, 10-5.
On Saturday, the Warriors took on the first-placed Cold Lake Ice, and held the Ice’s offence to seven goals, while scoring two of their own.
The Warriors, like fellow local team the St. Paul Canadiens, are plagued with injuries, which is affecting the team’s weekly on-ice performance, according to Tony Steinhauer, the Warriors’ assistant coach. Steinhauer feels the team needs to be stronger mentally to play better against other teams.
The Warriors are also waiting to fill a few more spots of the team before the end of the year, with next month’s games being a critical month in gaining a playoff spot in the North Eastern Alberta Junior B Hockey League.
The Warriors currently hold seventh place in the North Eastern Alberta Junior B Hockey League ahead of the Canadiens, the last team the Warriors beat back in Nov. 7. The team’s wins-losses-ties-overtime losses record is now 3 – 11 – 0 - 2 and the Warriors hope to improve the team’s standing with five games next month.
The Warriors will play a trio of games this weekend. The team has two away games against the Vegreville Rangers and the Thorhild Titans on Friday and Saturday, and will then play host to the Lloydminster Bandits at home on Sunday at 6 p.m.
