WESTLOCK — It’s not uncommon for a playoff game in hockey to go into overtime, but for it to happen twice in a row, with the same player scoring the winning goal in the third period of overtime, is astronomically unlikely.
Nevertheless, that’s exactly what happened this weekend as the Westlock U18 Warriors defeated the Whitecourt Wolverines to win the West District of the North East Alberta Hockey League (NEAHL) Tier III championship.
After losing Game 1 of the best-of-three series to Whitecourt by a score of 11-7 on March 8, the Westock Warriors ended up winning Game 2 in Westlock by 3-2 and Game 3 in Whitecourt by a score of 7-6.
Both games went into three overtime periods, and assistant captain Owen Carter ended up netting the winning goal in both matches.
Now the Warriors will take on the Elk Point Avalanche, who defeated the Onion Lake Border Chiefs on March 8-9 to win the East District, for the NEAHL championship.
According to manager Maggie Churchill, Game 1 of the series will take place at Elk Point on Friday, March 15 before returning to Westlock for Game 2 at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 16 and, if necessary, Game 3 at 5:15 p.m. on Sunday, March 17.
Two wins in OT
The Westlock Warriors kicked off the playoff series with the Wolverines on Friday night at the JDA Place – Athabasca Arena in Whitecourt.
Despite gaining a 5-4 lead in the first period, the Warriors fell behind in the second period thanks to four goals by Whitecourt, which gave them an 8-6 lead.
Whitecourt then scored another three goals in the third period to cement their victory, while the Warriors only notched one more goal.
Jackson Rufiange scored a hat trick and contributed one assist during this match, while Owen Carter contributed one power play goal and an assist. The remaining goals were scored by Zephyr Bruens, Rhett Gerig and Nolyn Densmore.
Other assists were contributed by Samuel Bowsfield, Landon Brandl, Cole Morin and Tuc Higgins. Westlock goalie Andrew Jimmo stopped 41 of 52 shots on goal.
Returning to the Westlock Rotary Spirit Centre on Saturday afternoon, the Warriors were able to earn a 1-0 lead in the first period off a goal by Garrett Felske, assisted by Densmore and Morin.
Whitecourt fought back and gained a 2-1 lead in the second period, but Rufiange was able to tie up the score with just over five and a half minutes remaining. Carter and Felske assisted.
The third period remained scoreless, as were the next two overtime periods. Finally, Carter scored in the third overtime period off assists by Rufiange and Bowsfield to eke out the 3-2 victory.
Back in Whitecourt on Sunday afternoon, Westlock shot off to a 3-1 lead in the first period off two goals by Carter (including one power play conversion) and another by Garner St. Arnaud.
Morin, Higgins and Bowsfield assisted on Carter’s goals, while Gerig and Carson Vervynck assisted St. Arnaud.
In the second period, penalty trouble allowed the Wolverines to rack up three power play goals. Westlock also scored twice — Carter completed a hat trick off assists from Vervynck, Bowsfield and Jackson Churchill — but the Wolverines also notched one regular goal that left the score tied 5-5.
In the third period, both Westlock and Whitecourt scored one more goal to leave the score tied 6-6, with Brandle notching a goal off assists by Churchill and Morin.
Two scoreless overtime periods followed until finally the stalemate was ended with the winning goal by Carter, which he scored unassisted with just 4.8 seconds left on the clock.
