ELK POINT - It only took two games, not three for the U18 Avalanche to defeat the Onion Lake Border Chiefs, following up Friday night’s 4-2 win in Onion Lake with a 6-3 win at home on Saturday for the East division title.
Friday night’s game saw Evett Smereka put the Avs on the scoreboard one second more than two minutes in, off an assist by Seth Morton, with Kade Fontaine adding to the lead shortly after, assisted by Gavin Kadutski and Quinton Quinney. Kade would add another, this time unassisted, in the second period, before Onion Lake scored a pair less than a minute apart to bring the score to 3-2 in the Avs’ favour. Gavin’s unassisted goal would seal the win with 16 seconds left in the third for the 4-2 final score.
Saturday’s game saw Kade light up the scoreboard 48 seconds into the first period, assisted by Gavin, Kaleb Flamand adding another before mid-period off an assist by Kade, with a Border Chiefs goal bringing the score to 2-1 before the buzzer. Gunner Crawford scored right of the faceoff in the second, with help from Kade and Gavin, Kade adding his second of the afternoon shortly after, assisted by Gavin and Kaleb, Nick Penner following that up with the Avs’ fifth goal, off an assist by Quinton. The Border Chiefs answered with a pair, going to the second intermission with the Avs ahead 5-3. Kaleb scored the lone goal of the third period, assisted by Kade for the 6-3 win.
The U18 Avalanche now goes on to face the West division winners from Westlock, who defeated Whitecourt in their series.
U15s off to Provincials
Jasper may have the mountains, but Elk Point has the Avalanche, whose U15 team buried the Jasper Bearcats with a 9-1 defeat on Saturday afternoon to win the NEAHL Tier 3 championship.
Trace Morgan put the home team on the scoreboard less than two minutes in, assisted by Brendan Kadutski and Wyatt Fontaine, the Bearcats scoring soon after for a tie that persisted almost to the end of the period, when Brendan scored off helpers from Trace and Wyatt. Brendan added another only seconds into the second frame off assists by Trace and Kestyn Quinney, Braylee Lesyk scoring off Boe St. George just 18 seconds later and adding another in mid period, this time helped by Brendan and Dustin Brind.
Brendan would complete his hat trick before the end of the period, assisted by Trace and Jackson Rawlake. The final period saw Trace add another just over six minutes in, assisted by Brendan and Jaxon Smith, with Remington Reynolds scoring the ninth and final goal in the last minute of play, assisted by Trace and Brendan. Goaltender Thesson McRorie deflected 19 0f 20 shots on goal.
The U15 Avalanche will now head to Provincials in Delburne, March 21 to 25.
