HJHL Roundup: Physical games at the top of the divisions

A pair of battles between the first and second seeds in each division resulted in some physical hockey, while road teams have now won 11 of the past 12 Friday games as we start to move closer to the post-season.

Red Deer (7) vs. Airdrie (4)

AIRDRIE – Defenceman Dalton Angeltvedt scored twice as the Red Deer Vipers prevailed with a wild 7-4 win over the Airdrie Thunder on Friday evening.

Brody Kalinkowski led all skaters with four points, scoring once and setting up three others, while teammate Mack Differenz added a goal and two assists.

Bailey Lawson, Kayson Gallant and Lane Sim rounded out the scoring for the Vipers (25-5-1), which extend their winning streak to seven games in the process, while also making it a seven-point lead over the Thunder (20-8-4) for first place in the North Division.

Clay Murray had two goals for Airdrie, while Kristopher LeClair and Matt Thomson had the others.

It was a wild first period that saw the teams combine for seven goals and 62 minutes in penalties, resulting in a 4-3 Red Deer lead. Overall, 134 penalty minutes were dished out in the game.

The Vipers tacked on three more in the middle stanza, while the third period went scoreless.

Branden Bilodeau improved to 14-2-0 between the Red Deer pipes, making 30 saves along the way.

GAME SUMMARY

Coaldale (6) vs. Okotoks (3)

OKOTOKS – Nolan Berner made 39 saves as the Coaldale Copperheads moved into a tie for first place in the South Division with a 6-3 win over the Okotoks Bisons on Friday.

The Copperheads (20-9-2) move into a tie with the Bisons (20-10-2), with one game in-hand.

Jedd Horvath, Isiah Day Chief, Ty Abbott, Levi Anderson, Calvin Swanson and Chase Williamson all found the back of the net for Coaldale, which now rides a five-game winning streak.

Joshua McCulloch scored twice for the Bisons, while Kody Briggs added a single.

With the division lead at play, the game was physical from the get-go, resulting in 145 minutes in penalties between the two teams, including 55 in the opening frame.

With the game tied at three midway through the third period, it was Anderson’s power-play marker that put the Copperheads out in front for good, while Swanson and Williamson (empty-netter) added a pair of insurance markers.

Devin Reagan suffered the loss in the Okotoks’ crease, making 38 saves along the way.

GAME SUMMARY

Cochrane (4) vs. High River (0)

HIGH RIVER – Knute Loe recorded his second shutout in his past four starts as the Cochrane Generals blanked the High River Flyers by a 4-0 score.

Loe stopped all 29 shots he faced as the Generals (19-11-1) move past the Flyers (17-13-3) for the third spot in the South Division.

Braden Bain and Talus Hume each scored twice for Cochrane, which have now won four straight.

Bain opened the scoring with a shorthanded marker at the 5:14 mark of the first period, and that would be the only offence the Generals would need.

Chantz Vinck made 38 saves in the High River crease.

GAME SUMMARY