Night two of the AJHL playoffs were underway Friday night with all 12 teams back in action after the first night was filled with fireworks on Thursday night! A few series fell into strangleholds while a couple of others evened out at one.
Here’s how it all shaped out:
Calgary Canucks 3 – 5 Okotoks Oilers
Oilers lead series 2-0
After the 6-5 OT win in Game 1, the Oilers were looking to come within one game of advancing with a win Friday night, one they succeeded in with the 5-3 win in Game 2. After Calgary took a 3-1 lead in the second period with a goal from Nic Herringer on the power play things looked good for the Canucks. But the Oilers turned things around with a goal from Austin Wong under a minute later and another one with 6 minutes left in the period from Blake Wells to tie the game at three before Quinn Olson gave Okotoks the lead at 4-3 heading into the third.
Kyle Gordon would add an empty netter in the third to seal the deal and 5-3 win for the Oilers who now look to finish the series off on Sunday in Calgary.
Canmore Eagles 2 – 3 OT Drumheller Dragons
Series tied 1-1
After a 2-1 OT win for Canmore on Thursday night Game 2 saw things end in similar fashion with the Dragons evening the series at one with an overtime win of their own. After a scoreless first period, the Dragons got things going in the second with Roc Truman scoring halfway through the period. Canmore would tie eight minutes later before Drumheller took the lead back with 37 seconds left off the second goal of the game from Truman. Colton Young tied things up early in the third for the Eagles. Things would eventually be settled in the second overtime period when a blocked shot from Shane Ott found its way to Brady Risk who sniped it home for the winner.
Calgary Mustangs 7 – 3 Camrose Kodiaks
Series tied 1-1
After a dominating 7-2 win for Camrose on Thursday night the Mustangs were hoping to exact some revenge on Friday. It went almost too perfectly with a win for Calgary of a nearly identical score. The Kodiaks opened the scoring early with a goal Dylan Williamson, but Calgary would answer with a goal from Jarret Timmerman, and the Mustangs never looked back. They scored two more goals in the first and two more in the second taking the 5-1 lead to the third period. Kyler Kupka and Lane Brockhoff tried to make it close with goals for Camrose in the third, but it wasn’t enough Jackson Salt netting one for Calgary before an empty netter sealed the 7-3 Mustang win tying the series at one.
Drayton Valley Thunder 1 – 2 Spruce Grove Saints
Saints lead series 2-0
The Saints took the series lead Thursday night with Matthew Davis earning the 27-save shutout for the 2-0 win. Drayton Valley made it a bit closer Friday but fell short once again with the Saints winning 2-1. Davis had a spectacular showing once again stopping 24 of the 25 shots he faced. Dylan Bourlai got the Saints on the board first with a shot off the draw from the top of the circle. The Saints would add to their in the second with a one-timer from Logan Ganie on the PP gave them a 2-0 lead just 34 seconds into the period. Matthew Kinash got the Thunder back into with a goal later in the period but with some great goaltending the rest of the way Spruce Grove held on for the 2-1 win taking a 2-0 lead in the series. They’ll be looking to advance Sunday night in Drayton Valley.
Grande Prairie Storm 1 – 2-OT Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Series tied 1-1
With the 4-2 victory in Game 1, the Storm could all but put the Oil Barons away before the weekend even started. Fort McMurray had other plans with the 2-1 win in OT. Both goaltenders stood tall with Chris Curr stopping 23 shots for the Oil Barons and Kaeden Lane making 25 saves for Grande Prairie. After a turnover in the offensive zone by Fort McMurray, Zachary Okabe took the puck down the ice before feeding a pass into the slot to Xavier Pouliot who sniped it home for the 1-0 lead. Another goal wouldn’t come until the third when Jarred White tied things up one sending the game into overtime. In the extra frame, Kole Gable threw a shot on net that missed the mark, but the loose puck found the stick of Brendan Stafford who buried on the open side for the 2-1 win.
Whitecourt Wolverines 1 – 3 Bonnyville Pontiacs
Pontiacs lead series 2-0
Bonnyville took Game 1 with a commanding 5-1 victory with much of the same coming in Game 2 with the 3-1 win pushing the series lead to a stranglehold at 2-0. Whitecourt found life early with a goal from Hayden Clayton in the first, but Bonnyville tied it in the second with a power-play goal from Daine Dubois. The third period belonged to the Pontiacs with Grayson Constable netting one, unassisted early before Dubois scored his second of the game to seal the 3-1 win for Bonnyville. They’ll look to advance Sunday night. This was another showing of spectacular goaltending with Tye Morin of the Wolverines stopping 31 of 34 shots faced and Pontiacs goaltender Colby Muise turning all but one of the 32 shots he faced.
