LAC LA BICHE - The Lac La Biche Clippers U15-1 boys team started off 2025 with a pair of wins against the visiting Marwayne-Vermilion Tigers.
The Clippers emerged with a 5-3 victory over the Tigers at the Bold Centre on Jan. 3, and handed a 6-3 defeat to their Northeastern Alberta Hockey League (NEAHL) opponents the following day.
At roughly five minutes into Friday’s game, the Tigers’ Kohlsyn Centazzo got the puck past Lac La Biche’s defenses.
Keanan Michael Burant, with assistance from teammates Rylan Cardinal and Kohen Jeffery, scored the Clippers’ first goal of the evening near the halfway point of second period, levelling the scoreboard 1-1.
During the last few minutes of the second period, Lac La Biche’s Jakob Snowadzki Reid, with help from Connor Bourassa and Kael Cardinal, provided a goal that gave the Clippers a 2-1 lead going into the final leg of the game.
Even though the Tigers managed to acquire two more goals in the third period, these were quickly outmatched by three consecutive ones scored by the home ice Clippers.
In similar fashion to Friday’s game, the Clippers remained scoreless throughout the first period of the rematch that took place on Saturday morning.
The Tigers maintained a 1-0 lead and scored two more goals in the second period, it wasn't enough to keep the Clippers from gaining the upper hand. During the second period, the Clippers scored three consecutive goals and one more in the dying minutes of the period, giving them a 4-3 lead.
Lac La Biche secured two more goals during the third period to finish the game with a 6-3 victory.
The Clippers hold second place in their five-team NEAHL East Division, one spot behind the leading Irma Aces. The Marwayne-Vermilion Tigers are fifth in the division.
The two clubs will meet again this weekend, when the Clippers head south for two games at the Dewberry Arena. The first game is set to take place on Jan. 11 at 5:15 p.m., while the second contest will be at 11:30 a.m. on Jan. 12.
