Two Golden Suns teams play over weekend as January schedule wraps up

By Cole Parkinson
Taber Times

The final full month of South Central Alberta Hockey League action is nearly underway, but before that, two of three Taber Golden Suns teams were on the ice to finish off January.

U13

The U13s were off this past weekend as they reset for the last handful of games. This weekend sees them back to SCHAL games as they head to Okotoks on Saturday to take on the Oilers at 5:15 p.m. The team then returns home on Sunday for a date against the Airdrie Lightning. Puck drop is set for 1 p.m.

U15

The U15s wrapped up January with a single road game this past weekend as they took on the Okotoks Oilers. The Oilers would race out to a quick 2-0 lead before Tony King and Foster Weatherhead found the back of the net for Taber. Weatherhead would also draw an assist on the first Taber goal and the teams went into the middle frame tied at two. The second began all Oilers as the home team scored three straight. Heston Hansen would answer back for Taber as Canaan Fleck and Hayden Wiscombe had the assists. Okotoks would then add two more goals at the end of the period to take a 7-3 lead into the third.

Okotoks would score the first goal of the third shorthanded but the Suns would find a powerplay marker a few minutes later thanks to Madix Miller. Fleck and Hansen had the assists on Taber’s fifth goal of the game. The Oilers would extend their lead late once again en route to a 9-4 win on home ice. Griffin Stenger played two periods in net for Taber, making 20 saves on 27 shots while Dakota Hurst played one period and made eight saves on 10 shots.

The U15s have a pair of games coming this weekend as they head out on the road on Saturday to take on the Foothills Bisons for a 6:30 p.m. game. They then return home to Taber on Sunday for a 3:30 p.m. matchup against the Airdrie Lightning.

U18

It was a two-game weekend for the U18 Golden Suns as they had two road games to wrap up the month.

On Friday night, the team took on the Foothills Bisons. Taber scored early and often as they skated to a 10-5 victory. Jett Matisho had five of the Taber goals and an assist, Connor Chapman had five assists, Landon Howg had two goals and two assists, Chase Stronge had a goal and three assists, Lincoln Weiss had two assists, Hunter Simpson and Evan Koizumi had a goal each, and Hayden Smith, Nathan Rijkens, and Ryler Kiss all had a single assist. Keegan Stenger made 33 saves on 38 shots in the Taber net.

The team then took on CRAA Gold on Sunday afternoon. In a close matchup, neither team was able to find a game-winner as it ended tied 2-2. Chapman and Stronge were the goal scorers as Howg, Koizumi, and Kiss each had an assist. Kahil Wright was solid in net, making 28 saves on 30 shots.

The Suns are back on the ice this coming weekend for another two road games. First up is a trip to Lethbridge to take on the Hurricanes on Saturday night. Puck drop is set for 7:15 p.m. On Sunday, the team heads to Okotoks to take on the Oilers for a 6 p.m. start.