Copperheads lose final game in October

By Cole Parkinson
Sunny South News

On Halloween Eve, the Okotoks Bisons provided plenty of scares for the Coaldale crowd gathered at the Snakepit.

The Bisons travelled to town for a late-night game and were able to pull off a 7-4 win over the Copperheads in Heritage Junior Hockey League action.

Coaldale, who were defeated by Okotoks last weekend as well, saw themselves down big early in the first period.

Okotoks scored early and often in the opening frame of the game and continued to pour it on all period as they scored three goals on nine shots. The Copperheads fired eight of their own on the Bisons’ netminder, but couldn’t find the back of the net.

The second started the same as the first, with the Bisons scoring first. Despite the early deficit, Coaldale would see Kole Fujita scored the Snakes first goal on a Dallas Bodnar assist. And the Copperheads weren’t done there either as Michael Lawson scored a powerplay marker mid-way through the period on Krishan Stocker and Braiden Burke assists.

With Coaldale clawing their way back into the game, the Bisons were able to score a shorthanded goal to regain a three-goal lead.

In a heavy offensive second period, the Snakes would answer back with their own shorthanded tally thanks to Koden Lazar with Brogan Booth collecting the assist.

Before the end of the period though, Okotoks would find the back of the net once again on the powerplay.

Heading into the third and final frame, the Copperheads would need a strong period to get back into the game. Near the halfway point, the Bisons would score another goal to make it a 7-3 game. Before the end of the period, Coaldale’s Derrien Tonin would find the back of the net on a Thomas Johnson assist.

Overall, the Copperheads would fire 30 shots on net, while Okotoks would send 29 at Copperhead goalies. Ethan Barrows got the start and would stop 13 of 18 shots, while Logan Leroux came in relief and made stops on nine of 11 shots.

The Copperheads went 1-3 on the powerplay and killed off four of five when short-handed.

After 12 games into the regular season, Coaldale has a 5-6-1 record and 11 points — good for fourth in the Southern Division.

The Snakes see two games on the schedule this weekend, including a home date against the Lomond Lakers on Saturday night in Coaldale. Puck drop happens at 8:30 p.m. Then on Sunday evening, the team travels to Didsbury to take on the Mountain View Colts.

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