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Legionnaires ousted in overtime
Chris Clegg
for South Peace News
Last year the High Prairie Midget Legionnaires qualified for Provincials after Scott Laderoute’s double overtime goal gave them a series win over Slave Lake.
This year, the club found themselves on the losing end of another overtime thriller as the Fairview Knights of Columbus Midgets won the two-goal total goal series 8-7 in overtime.
Tanner Bjorklund’s goal with 56 seconds left in overtime sent Fairview to the Alberta Midget “B” championships while High Prairie returned home heartbroken.
High Prairie won the first game at the Gordon Buchanan Recreation Centre 4-3 Feb. 26 but lost the second game 4-3 the next night forcing overtime.
“They were good games” says coach Robert Olansky, adding he feels especially bad for the six graduating players.
Nelson Anderson’s first-minute goal and Jacob Pratt’s rebound gave High Prairie a 2-0 lead in the first game. High Prairie dominated the opening 10 minutes as Fairview could muster no attack.
“We had a strong forecheck, that’s what we wanted to do,” says Olansky, who scouted Fairview before the game in Grande Prairie. “Any time they were pressured they had trouble and that’s what we wanted to do.”
But maintaining such a strong forecheck for 60 minutes is difficult. Fairview came out strong in the second period and scored three goals, two by Bjorklund, the other by Brett Johnson.
However, High Prairie maintained a lead on goals from Gordie Laderoute and Jared Dumont.
The third period was scoreless giving High Prairie the one-goal lead heading back to Fairview.
The teams battled through a scoreless first period before Bjorklund scored twice in the second.
However, Laderoute was not to be outdone and scored two goals on his own to tie the game 2-2 and restore High Prairie’s one-goal series lead.
Neil Nyberg’s goal in the first minute of the third period tied the series setting the stage for a thrilling finish. High Prairie looked to be in good shape when Laderoute scored with 2:18 left but Nyberg scored with 44 seconds left to send the series into overtime.
In overtime, Bjorklund scored with 56 seconds left in the 10-minute period to seal High Prairie’s fate.
Olansky says although they are disappointed, the can take solace in giving Fairview everything they could handle.
And, thank goodness, the winning goal was not a fluke.
“It was a good goal. All the goals in the last game were good goals,” says Olansky.
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A clash of the captains occurred many times during High Prairie’s battle with Fairview Feb. 26-27. Above, Fairview’s captain, Neil Nyberg, left, battles for position in front of the net with High Prairie’s Ryan Matthews Feb. 26.
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