Drumheller vs. Brooks (Dragons lead 3-0)
The Drumheller Dragons are just one win away from advancing to their first ever league final after they defeated the Brooks Bandits 5-2 on Monday night.
The Bandits would strike first and take their first lead of the series as Anthony Petruzzelli (assists to Shane Bear and Alex Roberts) redirected a shot behind Dragons’ goaltender Devin Buffalo at 6:30 on the power play.
The Bandits would add to the lead later on in the period as Alex Roberts (assists to Ben Assad and Maddison Smiley) snapped a shot past Buffalo to make it 2-0 at 11:47 of the opening period.
Shots favored the Dragons 11-6 in the opening period.
In the second, the Dragons would get on the board as Trent Ouellette (assist to Colton Vannucci and Christopher Rauckman) snapped a shot five hole on Bandits’ goaltender Michael Fredrick at 5:27 on the power play.
Later in the period the Dragons would go back onto the power play and tie the game at 2-2 as Trent Ouellette would score his second of the night (assists to Colton Vannucci and Christopher Rauckman) snapping a shot past Fredrick at 17:39.
Shots favored the Dragons 12-5 in the period and 23-13 after two periods.
Early in the third the Dragons would score their third power play goal of the game as Troy Gedny (assists to Shayne Gwinner and Dallas Smith) snapped the shot over Fredrick to give the Dragons a 3-2 lead at 2:06.
The Dragons would add to their lead on a broken play as Colton Vannucci (assists toChristopher Rauckman and Hunter Mills) put a shot on goal that handcuffed Fredrick to make it 4-2 Dragons at 8:31 of the third period.
The Dragons would cap off the scoring as Colton Vannucci would win the faceoff from just outside the Dragons’ zone and the puck would roll into the empty net at 19:33 to make it 5-2.
Shots favored the Dragons 11-3 in the third period and 34-16 in the hockey game.
The Dragons are set up to do something that nobody in the AJHL has been able to do for three years and that’s eliminate the Brooks Bandits.
Game four will be Tuesday night in Drumheller.
Fort McMurray vs. Spruce Grove (Oil Barons lead 2-1)
The Spruce Grove Saints continue to win on the road in the post season.
They picked up their first win of the series over the Oil Barons by a 3-1 score.
The Oil Barons would get a very quick start as just 35 seconds into the game, Brennan Saulnier (unassisted) would beat Saints’ goaltender Kenny Cameron over the shoulder.
The Saints were looking for a spark as Geoffrey Crisfield would drop the gloves with Adam Wilcox at 6:03 of the opening period.
Shots favored the Saints in the first period 8-6.
The Saints would tie the game at 1-1 in the second period as Tyler Busch (unassisted) caught Oil Barons’ goaltender Tanner Jaillet out of position at 4:25.
Shots favored the Oil Barons 14-9 in the period and 20-17 after two periods.
The Saints would take their first lead of the night as Connor Hoekstra (assists to Tristan Sieban and Macklin Pichonsky) crashed the front of the net and banged in the rebound to make it 2-1 at 14:11 of the third period.
The Saints then make it 3-1 as Cameron Hughes (assist to Parker Mackay and Jake Mykituk) took a cross crease pass and slid the puck past Jaillet at 18:18 of the third period.
Shots favored the Saints 11-6 in the period and 28-26 in the hockey game.
The Saints will try and make the series a best of three, while the Oil Barons will try and take a strangle hold lead on the series on Tuesday night.
Story by Chris Colwell
