HJHL Roundup: Thunder and Lightning highlight Friday

A wild one in Airdrie highlighted an exciting four-game Saturday across the HJHL.

Airdrie (8) vs. Stettler (7)

AIRDRIE – Dylan Wenzel had a pair of goals as the Airdrie Thunder were able to escape with an 8-7 win over the Stettler Lightning on Friday evening.

The Thunder (16-6-2) led 6-1 after 20 minutes and 8-3 in the later stages of the second period before the Lightning (9-12-2) would claw back with four unanswered goals, making it a one-goal game with 3:22 remaining in the third period.

Matt Thomson, Jacob MacDonald, Jared Bainbridge and Clay Murray all had first period markers to go along with Wenzel’s pair, while Brett Campbell and Austin O’Bray found the back of the net in the middle stanza.

Lightning forward Ethan Rost led all skaters on the night with four points, two goals and two assists, while Quade Cassidy chipped in with a goal and two helpers.

Kyle Ringdahl, Dylan Houston, Brendan Bardwell and Bryce Cornelissen rounded out the Stettler attack.

Airdrie has now won four straight games.

GAME SUMMARY

High River (6) vs. Strathmore (4)

HIGH RIVER – Three unanswered goals to close out the game gave the High River Flyers a 6-4 win over the Strathmore Wheatland Kings.

Michael McTighe and Davis Sheldon each finished with a pair of goals for the Flyers (13-9-3), while Liam Bollivar chipped in with a goal and two assists.

The Flyers led 3-1 after 20 minutes before Strathmore (10-10-2) battled back and took a 4-3 lead in the second period.

Austin Holmes had two of the Wheatland Kings’ goals, while Hayden Vander Ploeg and Chayse Hnatowich provided the others.

Joel Nalder rounded out the scoring for the Flyers.

GAME SUMMARY

Ponoka (6) vs. Three Hills (3)

Three Hills – Two goal games from Nate Higgins and Taite Opdendries paced the Ponoka Stampeders to a 6-3 win over the Three Hills Thrashers.

Two-thirds of the game’s offence came in the opening 16 minutes as the teams found themselves deadlocked 3-3 after the first period, before the Stampeders (5-12-2) would make it a 5-3 game going into the final frame, where they would tack on one more.

Jacob Sayler and Jonathan Kelly had the other two goals for Ponoka, while netminder Keenan Starkell made 35 saves between the pipes.

Alex Jones stopped 47-of-53 shots in net for Three Hills (1-18-0), which got a pair of goals from forward Scott McKenzie.

Tanner Sharp rounded out the scoring for the Thrashers with his second of the season.

GAME SUMMARY

Okotoks (6) vs. Cochrane (1)

COCHRANE – Jharin Bantugan and Tyler Rohl each scored twice as the Okotoks Bisons skated to a 6-1 victory over the Cochrane Generals.

Ryan McLean and Dallas Otto also found the back of the net for Okotoks (16-6-2), which have now recorded three straight victories and have opened up a five-point cushion over Cochrane for top spot in the South Division.

Devin Reagan improved to 14-4-0 between the pipes for the Bisons, stopping 25 shots along the way.

Talus Hume had the lone goal for Cochrane (14-9-1).

GAME SUMMARY