DIDSBURY - The Mountain View Colts have advanced to the Heritage League north division final after knocking off top seeded Airdrie Thunder four games to two. The Colts finished off the Thunder on Saturday with a close 4-3 win at home at the Didsbury Memorial Complex.
The Colts, who have advanced to the north division final series now for the last four years out of five, await the winner of the Sylvan Lake-Red Deer series, which was expected to conclude on Monday after press time.
On Saturday in front of a big crowd at the Didsbury arena, Mountain View pummelled Airdrie goalie Evan Gartner with 67 shots on their way to the victory.
Colts head coach Gord Olsen said the team is playing really well together.
"It was just an all-around good team effort," said Olsen. "We're showing scoring depth. Our big line scored the winner but the three goals previous were from our secondary lines, which you need in order to have success in the playoffs."
Olsen said the team worked hard at both ends of the ice.
"We're playing hard, skating hard; preventing chances in our end," he said. "We didn't let their big guys do what they did to us on Friday night."
The Colts opened up scoring with an early goal from Damian Vickers assisted by Tage Fawns and Sam Kolke. The Thunder quickly tied the game up with Sebastian Iannuzzi scoring at 10:45 of the first.
Tyler Petrie gave Airdrie their first lead, 2-1, at 16:20 of the second period. The Colts stormed back with goals from Laine Rothenbusch, (assisted by Alan Klinck and Caden Switzer) and Kolke. Jordan McConnell tied the game at 3-3 with two-and-a-half minutes left in the second.
Travis Gerrard got the game-winner for the Colts with an assist from Mitchell Visser with less than two minutes in the game.
The day before in Airdrie, the Thunder won 6-2 to cut the Colts' series lead to three games to two. Leading the way for Airdrie were Jordan McConnell with a hat trick and Petrie with a pair. Scoring for Mountain View were Switzer and Marshal Quartly.
"It was a team effort but it was the poorer side of a team effort," said Olsen of the loss. "When you're up 3-1 you're in a pretty good situation. They're a tough team to beat in that arena. They came out and their top guys did what they did all year and won them the game."
The north division final series is scheduled to start March 6. The fourth-seeded Colts will be on the road either way against either No. 2 Red Deer or No. 3 Sylvan Lake.
Olsen said both Red Deer and Sylvan Lake would present different challenges. He said the team will work on maintaining their success and playing hard no matter the opponent.
"The boys are resting now," he said. "We'll have a light practice on Wednesday just to get the kinks out and keep the legs. We won't go overly overboard with the coaching. We've had some success. We'll just ride the wave until the wave can't be rode anymore."
