Friday's HJHL action

Red Deer Vipers (6)
Stettler Lightning (5)

STETTLER – Mack Differenz and Declan Johnston each found the back of the net in regulation and then again in the shootout as the Red Deer Vipers prevailed with a 6-5 win over the Stettler Lightning on Friday evening.

Johnston finished the night with a pair of regulation goals, while Ryan Morrell and Lane Sim rounded out the Red Deer (18-8-1) scoring.

Brendan Bardwell tallied twice for the Lightning (12-12-2), while Kieran Rost, Ethan Rost and Dylan Houston each added a single.

Stettler led 3-0 in the latter half of the first period before the Vipers would score three in a row to make it a 3-3 game going into the final frame.

Cole Sears got the win between the pipes, making 31 saves on the night, while Lane Congdon turned in a 36 save performance.

GAME SUMMARY

Banff Bears (1)
Three Hills Thrashers (0)

THREE HILLS – One goal was all the Banff Bears needed on Friday evening as they hung on for a 1-0 win over the Three Hills Thrashers.

After 55 minutes of scoreless hockey, Noah Giese finally solved the riddle and put the Bears (6-16-2) with 4:45 left in the third period. It was all the offence the game would see.

Michael Binczyk stopped all 31 shots fired his way to earn his first career HJHL shutout.

Klay Munro was equally as good in the Three Hills (5-19-1) crease, stopping 37-of-38 shots on the night.

GAME SUMMARY

Okotoks Bisons (8)
High River Flyers (5)

HIGH RIVER – The Okotoks Bisons got goals from seven different players on Friday night as they skated to an 8-5 win over the High River Flyers.

While one team was looking to extend a streak to double digits, the other was trying to avoid 10 straight the opposite way. In the end, it is the Bisons (20-8-0) have won 10 straight.

Kyle Harrison scored twice, while Joshua McCulloch chipped in with a goal and three assists.

Conor Tudor and Kyle Becker each had three-point nights, scoring once and setting up two others, while Justin Russo, Nicholas Murrell and Josh Russo each added a single.

Mason Mazur scored three times for the Flyers (6-19-1), his second career HJHL hat trick, while Kody Briggs finished with a goal and two assists.

Egor Sinko rounded out the High River scoring with a goal in his season debut. Dakota Omura turned aside 22 shots in the loss.

Draven Rees picked up the win between the barber poles, making 24 saves on the night.

GAME SUMMARY

Airdrie Thunder (11)
Ponoka Stampeders (3)

AIRDRIE – Eight unanswered goals to close out the game propelled the Airdrie Thunder to an 11-3 win over the Ponoka Stampeders Friday evening at the Ron Ebbesen Arena.

Tied 3-3 just past the five-minute mark of the second period, the Thunder’s (19-6-2) offence came alive as Clay Murray would finish the night with three goals and one assist.

Andrew McLennan and Dante Raposo each scored twice and picked up two helpers, while Rylan Plante-Crough and Malyk John each chipped in with a goal and two assists.

Kade Taplin made 52 saves to pick up the win in goal, while Jared Bainbridge and Kristopher LeClair rounded out the scoring.

Walker Guthrie, Kieran Bulloch and Roenick Minde provided the offence for Ponoka (6-17-3).

GAME SUMMARY