Good start, but Lac La Biche Lakers lose first game of new junior hockey franchise

Rob McKinley Sep 29, 2024 11:00 AM
One - Lakers' forward Raiden Perkins celebrates his goal - the first for the Lac La Biche Lakers franchise – as Lightning goalie Brodie Madagan takes a moment to regroup.▲
Two -The Lakers' Zach Beinert was one of the four Lac La Biche players to notch a goal in their franchise opener at the Bold Center.▲
Three - Lakers' Taiven Makokis fires a shot that would beat the Lightning goalie - one of four Lac La Biche goals in the first period of their first game in the NJHL▲
Four - Lac La Biche's Brayden Swedgen punches his own rebound through the pads of the Lightning goalie for one of the Lakers' four goals in the opening period.▲
There was enough action to keep the 200 fans at the the Bold Center entertained for the first Lac La Biche Lakers first game in the NJHL▲
About 200 people were in the Bold Center to watch Friday's first game for the NJHL's newest junior team. Regular admission to games is $15. A league schedule is available at the NJHL website. The Lakers next home game is scheduled for October 4 against the Redwater Pioneers.▲
The Lakers' bench gets ready for the second period.▲
Lac La Biche musician Brian Deheer and the student choir from the Light of Christ Catholic School in Lac La Biche not only performed O'Canada, but they also provided some intermission entertainment with their rendition of the "The Good Ol' Hockey Game."▲

When Lac La Biche Lakers franchise owner Jacob Hegerfeldt told media at the start of the team's first game in the National Junior Hockey League that he was predicting a "good and rough" opening act for the league's newest team, he wasn't far off.

The Lakers scored four unanswered goals against the visiting Northern Alberta Lightning in the first period, and the body contact and intensity of the junior-level action was cheered on by about 200 fans in the stands at Lac La Biche's Bold Centre arena. The game between the Lakers and the Mayerthorpe-based Lightning saw 88 total minutes of penalties dished out to both benches, including three game misconducts, and a fist-full of fights.  The hits and intensity definitely checked the "rough" box.

After the first period, Hegerfeldt's prediction seemed to be  lock-tight, with the league's' newest skaters not only scoring their first-ever goal in the NJHL from the stick of Grande Prairie native Raiden Perkins,  but also scoring their second, third and fourth games in the new league ... all without the Lightning  getting on the board.

But that's the funny thing with predictions ... somebody else – probably a Lightning fan –  might have predicted a massive, come-from behind upset for their team. 

And they did.

After a good opening frame, the Lakers were kept off the scoreboard in the last 40 minutes of play, while the Lightning netted three goals in the second and three in the third.

The game turnaround wasn't just visible on the scoreboard, but also in the shot clock.  Even though they got four past Lightning goalie Brodie Madagan on 12 shots in the first period, the Lakers managed only 15 more shots on net through the rest of the game. Meanwhile, the Lightning peppered Lac La Biche goalie Riley Baker with 58.

Second chance

The Lakers played again on Saturday night, looking to help the team boss with his prediction in a game against the Redwater Pioneers. The Redwater team is also a first-time franchise in the eight-team NJHL.

Due to early editorial deadlines due to National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the results of that game could not be included in the original version of this story. For updates, check back with www.lakelandtoday.ca

The Lakers next home game is scheduled for October 4, a re-match against the Pioneers.

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