Copperheads start December with a pair of overtime games

By Cole Parkinson
Sports Reporter Sunny South News

The Coaldale Copperheads began their December schedule this past weekend that saw an away game and a home game.

After a red hot November, the Snakes were hoping to build on that momentum and continue to climb up the Heritage Junior ‘B’ Hockey League Southern Division standings.

On Friday night, the Copperheads lined up against the Okotoks Bisons for a rematch. The following weekend, the Copperheads had collected a 5-2 win over the Bisons at home, but this time, the game was in Okotoks.

The first period saw the Bisons and Copperhead trade shots back and forth, but the Bisons would take a 2-1 lead into the locker room. The Snakes saw a goal from Krishan Stocker, assisted by Derrien Tonin and Brogan Booth.

In the second, Okotoks took over the game as they outshot Coaldale 23 -7 and potted another goal, though the Snakes answered right back. Booth found the back of the net with Ryden Rempel and Tonin collecting assists.

With a 3-2 lead in the third period, the Bisons once again outshot Coaldale, but Tonin would find the back of the net for Coaldale on a short-handed marker with an assist from Thomas Johnson. 

The game would remain tied when the clock read zero, which meant the game would head to overtime. The Bisons would fire two shots on net in the extra frame, with the second going past the goal line. 

Ethan Barrows was busy in the blue paint as he faced 54 shots in the loss. The Bisons outshot the Snakes 54-23 in the game. 

Coaldale went 0-4 on the powerplay and killed off five of six penalties.

Coming back home on Saturday, the Copperheads were greeted by the Red Deer Vipers in an all snake matchup.

After a scoreless first period, things would begin to open up in the second period as the teams traded a pair of goals. Braiden Burke had the Copperheads’ marker, unassisted.

The third saw even more scoring as each team would find the back of the net twice before the third period ended. Copperhead goals came off the sticks of Sean Burns (Booth and Jason Creighton) and Jason Creighton (Michael Lawson).

With another tie at the end of the third, the Copperheads would once again head into overtime — this time hoping for a better result.

After a few minutes of play, Brandon Creighton would seal the win for the Copperheads on a James Halverson assist.

Logan Leroux stopped 28 of 31 shots fired his way in the win. The Vipers would outshoot the Copperheads 31-26 in the game. Coaldale would go 0-1 on the powerplay and kill off four of five penalties in the game.

Next weekend, Coaldale sees a home and away with the Lomond Lakers. The Snakes travel to Vulcan for the first game against the Lakers on Friday at 7:30 p.m. 

The team then returns home on Saturday night for an 8:30 p.m. matchup against the Lakers.

After the first weekend of play in December, the Copperheads still sit in third place in the Southern Division with a 14-7-2 record and 30 points. Medicine Hat sits in second with 32 points and Okotoks continues to lead the division with 43 points.

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