TIGERS REMAIN UNBEATEN

The Sask East league kicked off the new year with the Churchbridge Imperials hungry for their
first win of the season on Friday night. Opportunity came to the Kaminski Arena in
Churchbridge in the form of the visiting Preeceville Pats. It wasn’t the best start for the Imps, as
Kylen Taphorn set up Brady Frattinger twice in the first period, sandwiching a Dylan Tanner
snipe to make the score 2-1 Preeceville after one period. Frattinger finished off his hat trick via
a Jake Huska feed halfway through the second to put the Pats up 3-1. Looking for a spark,
Colby Jacob started the comeback with his first of the season, followed by a Cole Cusitar goal
to knot the score at three entering the third period. With momentum on their side, Churchbridge
poured it on in the third, with goals by Colby Jacob, Zack McGriskin, and Conner Erhardt (into
an empty net) making the final 6-3 for the Imperials. Jacob’s two goals led the way for
Churchbridge, who got two point outings from Tanner and Cusitar. Colby Entz stood tall in the
Imperials net in the win, and Coleman Metherell took the loss for Preeceville.

Saturday night saw a planned visit to the Esterhazy Flyers by the Swan Valley Axemen get
postponed due to lack of players. In other action, the Pats were back in action again, travelling
south to Wapella for a matchup with the Blackhawks. Wapella, suddenly faced with being tied in
the standings with Churchbridge, jumped out to a quick 2-zip lead before Jorie Dull responded
for Preeceville. Up 2-1 after the first, the Blackhawks stretched their lead to 4-1 five minutes
into the second before the Pats mounted a two goal comeback to make the score after two
periods 4-3 for Wapella. Unfortunately for the Pats, like the previous night, the third period
would be their undoing. Ryland Maier notched a shorthanded goal, and then a powerplay goal,
enroute to a 7-4 victory for Wapella. Wapella got two goal-one assist outings from Riley
Holloway and Ryland Maier, while Cole Hayhurst fired a goal and two assists and Rory Poole
ended up with a goal and two points. Matt D’Orazio tended the net for the winners, and Jasper
Booker recorded the loss. Pats goal scorers included Jorie Dull with two, Cody Hort, and
Dawson Paul.
Fresh off their first win of the season, Churchbridge got the short straw with a matchup against
the unbeaten defending league champs in Rocanville. Leaving nothing to chance, the Tigers
pumped four goals past Ryan Bezon in the first period, eventually cruising to a 14-2 pummeling
of the Imperials. Kyle Stephansson and Connor Erhardt fired home goals for the Imps, while
Colby Jacob extended his league leading penalty minute total to 57 and counting. Rocanville
got points from every skater except for Willie Bulbuck, with Dawson Springer recording a hat
trick and Ashley Howie picking up a team leading five points on the night. Keiran Madill chalked
up the win in the Tigers cage.

The game of the weekend was in Canora, where the Cobras played host to the Cote Selects in
a potential first round playoff matchup. On this night, a shorthanded Selects squad gave the
Cobras all they could handle, with Canora leading 2-1 after the first period, only for Cote to take
a one goal lead into the third at 5-4. This set up an entertaining final frame, as the Cobras
mounted a furious comeback to eventually escape with an 8-6 win over the visitors. For Cote,
Konrad McKay continued to put up points and log major minutes, recording a goal and three

assists to pace the Selects’ attack. Ron Cote and Tristan Keshane each had three point nights,
while Terrain Cote potted two goals for the Selects. Zack Cote was in the crease for Cote, and
Brad Sentes was between the pipes for the Cobras. Canora, who were missing Logan Foster,
was led by strong outings from Carter Dereniwsky (3-3-6) and Cole Rathgeber (2-2-4), with
William Hauber firing home the last two Cobras tallies on the night. Skylar Wallin had three
assists and Cody Dubas had two helpers for the winners. Riley Friday and Tanner Denesowych
dropped the mitts in the second period after Denesowych kneed a Cote player. Ron Cote and
Matt Langan picked up late misconduct penalties, which earned each of them a two game
suspension.

Next weekend features a total of eight games. Friday night has two 8PM starts, with
Churchbridge travelling up Highway #8 to play Cote, and the Langenburg Warriors in Wapella to
face the Blackhawks. The 830PM starts on Friday night are the Theodore Buffalos in
Preeceville, and the weekend’s feature matchup with Swan Valley in Rocanville. Saturday night
kicks off with a 7PM start in Cote as the Selects host Esterhazy. At 8PM that night, Rocanville
makes the long drive to Preeceville, while Canora faces the Blackhawks in Wapella. Sunday
afternoon, Churchbridge visits Swan Valley at 3PM in a rescheduled game from December 14 th .