Copperheads keep pace in South Division with weekend split

Posted on October 9, 2025 by Sunny South News

By Garrett Simmons
Sunny South News

The Coaldale Copperheads started off a new month in Heritage Junior Hockey League play with a weekend split.

Friday against High River, Coaldale scored four times in the third to stage a comeback 6-4 victory.

The Copperheads trailed 4-2 heading into the final frame, despite the fact Coaldale held a massive 38-12 edge on the shot clock.

John Vanden Elzen’s first-period goal, assisted by Nathan Verloop and Barrett Van Niselrooy made it 1-0, before HIgh River tied things up to leave the score 1-1 after 20.

The Flyers made it 2-1 in the second before Riley Preachuk tied things up on a goal assisted by Lucas Alexander and Dalton Damen. But two straight High River goals put the Flyers up by two after two periods.

Coaldale came out firing in the third and directed 17 more shots on High River’s goal, as Trey Schofield, Drake Olineck, Cohen Richardson and Kobe Fujita all scored for the Copperheads. Caden Still picked up two helpers in the period, while Van Nistelrooy, Damen, Eric Price,

Hudson Peever, Griffin McCulloch and Ryan Holm picked up single assists.

Brylin Noble made 14 saves and picked up the win for the Copperheads, as Coaldale outshot High River 55-18.

Back at home on Saturday, Coaldale fell 4-2 to Strathmore in a game that was much different, as the Wheatland Kings held a tight 27-26 edge in shots.

Richardson opened the scoring in the game, as Van Nistelrooy and Grady Vandenhoek had the assists before Strathmore tied it up.

In the second period, Strathmore scored twice to take a 3-1 lead into the final frame.

Alexander scored to make it 3-2, as Fujita and Schofield had the helpers.

That was as close as the Copperheads would get, as a Strathmore empty-net goal sealed it.

Noble made 23 saves, as Coaldale fell to 4-2 on the season, good enough for a second-place tie with Cochrane. Strathmore leads the South Division with a 5-2 record.

This weekend, the Copperheads hit the road for a Friday date in Cochrane, before a Saturday home game at 8 p.m. against Rocky Mountain House.