The U18 Unity Lazers are the first local team to have a provincial game under their belts, coming away with a 3-1 win against the Shellbrook Elks, Jan. 20.
Unity and Shellbrook were neck and neck in shots on goal for the first couple of periods, with no score after the first.
An early break from the opening faceoff in the second period put Unity on the scoreboard the first eight seconds in. Gabe Weber scored with assists from Dominic Sieben and Dawson Rusk. Rusk added a marker some six minutes later, with Weber getting the assist on that one.
Brandon Dingwall scored for the Elks with 7:15 remaining in the period, to make the score 2-1 for Unity going into the third.
A short Elks bench saw Shellbrook start to struggle in the third, while Unity continued to hammer at the net. Daxon L’Heureux got the insurance goal, with Nicholas Hein and Ramsay Flicek assisting.
In net with the win for the Lazers was Noah Gumpinger.
Meanwhile, the U13 Lazers play their first C provincial game tonight, Jan. 26, in Neilburg against the Maidstone Jets. The second game – and third mini-game if necessary – will be in Unity, Feb. 4, starting at 2:15 p.m.
Whereas provincial minor hockey series used to be decided on a total goals scored basis, the rules have changed. Two games are played, with each team having one home game. In the event of a series split, then a third mini game – starting with one 10-minute period – is played immediately following the second game to decide who advances to the next round.
The U13 Kerrobert Tigers also start provincials, in the D category, this weekend, hosting the Whitefish Flyers of Big River First Nation, Jan. 27 at 4:30 p.m.
The U13 Macklin Mohawks, also playing in D, will be in Edam Jan. 30, with the second game of the series back at home Feb. 3 at 5:00 p.m.
In U15 B competition the Lazers will host the La Ronge Ice Wolves Feb. 3 at 5 p.m. in the first game of that series.
The U18 Macklin Mohawks don’t start their provincials until Feb. 11, playing the Jets in Maidstone.
In Kerrobert the U18 and the U15 Tigers both advance directly to their provincial quarter-finals and will be watching to see who advances out of the earlier rounds.
Senior Hockey
The Wilkie Outlaws will kick off their Senior C provincial quest with a home game against the Porcupine Plain Blues, Feb. 3 at 8 p.m., followed by away games Feb. 4 and 11 in the best-of-three series.
The dates for the Unity Miners vs. the Dinsmore Dynamos games in Senior C had not been determined as of press deadlines.
In Senior D action, no dates were yet available for the Macklin Mohawks nor the Kerrobert Tigers.
