DIDSBURY - The Mountainview Colts have advanced to the Heritage League's Northern Division final with a 4-1 series win after winning four straight against Blackfalds.
The Colts bounced back after losing 6-5 in double overtime in game one to beat the Wranglers 8-1 on Feb. 18. Cole Sutherland led the team with a pair of goals and three assists.
Mountainview then won two close ones in Blackfalds, 6-4 on Feb. 19 and 4-2 on Feb. 21. Mitch Visser led the Colts on Feb. 19 with a pair of goals, while Evan Ingram paced the team with a pair of goals and an assist on Feb. 21.
Mountainview closed out the series with a 5-2 win at home on Feb. 22. Ingram was the star of the game for the Colts scoring a hat-trick.
"It was a good game," said Colts assistant coach Michael Galye. "We went back and forth. At one point it was tied 2-2 going into the third period. We scored two in the beginning of the third and then put it away with an empty-netter."
Galye said the team bounced back strong after losing game one.
"It was a good, hard-fought battle," he said. "They're a physical team. We're typically more of a skating team, open-ice team. We were strong in our zone. Tommy (goalie Della Siega) played really well and kept us in it when he needed to. It was chippy at times but for the most part I thought we played well."
Galye said the team played with good composure and didn't let the chippiness get to them.
"They were targeting some of our top guys, really going after them," he said. "We had to maintain composure. I think we played with good discipline. We stayed out of the penalty box for the most part."
With the series win, the Colts advance to play Red Deer in the Northern Division final. The schedule has yet to be determined.
Galye expects the series against the Vipers to be a tough one.
"Red Deer is a skating team," he said. "They have some good offensive punch. They can put the puck in the net. They move the puck well. I think it'll be a good match-up for us. We're a skating team as well. We have good speed. It should be a fun series."
