HJHL Roundup: Trio of one-goal games highlight wild Saturday

It was a thrilling five-game Saturday in the HJHL, which included a trio of one-goal finishes.

Stettler (4) vs. Okotoks (3)

BIG VALLEY – Bryce Cornelissen was the overtime hero, scoring midway through the extra frame to give the Stettler Lightning a 4-3 win over the Okotoks Bisons on Saturday evening.

Dylan Houston finished with a goal and two helpers for the Lightning (6-9-2), while Quade Cassidy and Logan Spady also found the back of the net. Goaltender Jordan McCallum made 25 saves to register the victory.

Jharin Bantugan, Kyle Harrison and Josh Russo were the goal scorers for Okotoks (13-5-2), which held a 3-1 third period lead before the Lightning would battle back.

Devin Reagan made 35 saves in the loss.

GAME SUMMARY

Mountainview (4) vs. Strathmore (3)

DIDSBURY – Colton Anderson scored twice, including the winning goal with 1:12 remaining in overtime to lift the Mountainview Colts to a 4-3 victory over the Strathmore Wheatland Kings.

Trailing 3-0 past the midway mark of the second period, the Colts (10-7-3) scored four unanswered times to close out the game, including goals from Erran Thompson and Wyatt Gelinas.

Ethan Woodward registered the win between the pipes, stopping all 11 shots he faced in just over 30 minutes of relief work.

Cole Bright made 40 saves for the Wheatland Kings (9-6-2), while Bradley Tingey, Keenan Ogle and Chayse Hnatowich provided the offence.

GAME SUMMARY

Coaldale (4) vs. Airdrie (3)

COALDALE – Gavin Burns’ go-ahead goal 3:23 into the third period stood up as the winner as the Coaldale Copperheads held on for a 4-3 win over the Airdrie Thunder on Saturday.

Jayden Smith led the Copperheads (12-7-1) with a goal and assist, while Jayden Bexte and Calvin Swanson also found the back of the net.

The Thunder (12-6-2) took a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes, however it was the Copperheads that found them selves on top with a 3-2 lead entering the third period.

Airdrie’s Andrew McLennan tied the game at 3-3 just 1:42 into the final frame, but the score would only last 1:41 before Burns would tally the winner.

Jack Maccready and Benjamin Orde rounded out the Airdrie scoring.

Nolan Berner made 29 saves in the Coaldale crease to pick up win number six on the season.

GAME SUMMARY

Cochrane (5) vs. Medicine Hat (2)

MEDICINE HAT – A five-point night off the stick of Slater Ransom powered the Cochrane Generals to a 5-2 win over the Medicine Hat Cubs.

Ransom factored in on all the Cochrane (11-8-0) offence, scoring once and setting up four others, while teammate Talus Hume was just one point behind, scoring once and setting up three others.

Brandon Aab and Austin Keller each had a three-point outing, as Aab found the back of the net twice and added one assist, while Keller scored once to go along with a pair of helpers.

Trei Weber stopped 21-of-23 shots to pick up the win between the pipes.

Noah Irvine and Matt Clement provided the offence for the Cubs (6-11-0), each scoring in the final two minutes of the game.

GAME SUMMARY

Red Deer (4) vs. Three Hills (0)

RED DEER – Branden Bilodeau stopped all 23 shots he faced as the Red Deer Vipers shutout the Three Hills Thrashers by a 4-0 score on Saturday evening.

Mack Differenz led all skaters with three points, scoring one and adding two assists, while Owen Cummerford, Nicholas Scott and Brody Kalinowski rounded out the Red Deer (12-4-1) attack.

For Bilodeau, who made 11 of his 23 saves in the middle stanza, the shutout is his first of the season and fifth of his HJHL career.

Alex Jones stood tall in the Three Hills (0-12-0) crease, making 41 saves on the night.

Red Deer finished two-for-four on the man-advantage and have now won four straight.

GAME SUMMARY