Hockey season winding down for Golden Suns

By Cole Parkinson
Taber Times

The hectic Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL) season is nearing the end as Taber Golden Suns compete in their biggest games of the season.

U11

After finishing in first place in the Plains Division, the U11 Golden Suns have a bye in the first round.

U13

One final regular season game was on tap for the U13 Suns this past weekend. On Sunday, they were on the road as they took on the Medicine Hat Hounds. Taber outshot the Hounds 33-21 but were unable to find many goals as they fell 3-1. Lincoln Braun had the lone Taber goal, and Holden Emelson drew the assist. Dylan Volk started between the pipes and made 18 saves on 21 shots.

At the end of the regular season, Taber finished in fifth place in the South Division with a 10-17-5 record and 25 points. Next up for the Suns is the Regional Round Robin. In the South Division, Taber will compete against Foothills, Wheatland, Medicine Hat, and Lethbridge. The round robin begins on Thursday when Taber takes on Lethbridge at 12:15 p.m. Game 2 goes on Friday when the Suns face the Wheatland Warriors. The round robin finishes up on Saturday with games against Medicine Hat at noon and Foothills at 7:30 p.m.

U15

Last week saw the U15 Suns compete in their Regional Round Robin as playoffs began. The first game was on Feb. 26 as Taber took on the Okotoks Oilers. Taber was unable to hold off a surging Oilers’ offence as they took a 7-4 loss to open the playoffs. Travis Jackson led the way with two goals and an assist, Hudson Stenger and Everett Kiist had a goal and an assist, Rudy Wojszel had a pair of assists, and Ryder Nielsen, Cohen Kleisinger, and Blaze Wenzel all had an assist. Talen Sarathlal was the starter in net for Taber, and he posted 38 saves on 45 shots.

Friday saw a pair of games for Taber, starting with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The Suns would open the scoring thanks to an unassisted goal from Wenzel, but the Hurricanes would answer back before the end of the period. Neither team would score in the second, and it was Lethbridge who was able to break the tie and take a 2-1 win midway through the third. Sarathlal was back in net and was rock solid with 38 saves on 40 shots.

Looking for a win to end the round robin, Taber was in tough against Foothills later on Friday. This one was all Bisons as they cruised to a 10-2 win over Taber. Nielsen and Stenger scored for Taber, while Jackson, Cale Ste-Croix, Dallas Alberts, and Kash Kover all chipped in with an assist. Drew Tame made the start in net for the Suns and made 47 saves on 57 shots.

In the Central final, Red Deer defeated the Central Alberta Selects while Okotoks beat Foothills in the South final. The two will now meet to determine the South Conference Championship.

U18

The U18 Suns had a pair of games this past weekend to wrap up their regular season. On the road to face the East Kootenay Avalanche for both games, the pair met on Friday night. The Suns would allow three straight goals before answering back with two late third period goals. They were unable to find a tying goal, though, as they fell 3-2. Madix Miller and Raiden Koizumi had the goals, while Foster Weatherhead, Lincoln Weiss, and Chase Stronge notched an assist each. Dakota Hurst made the start in goal and made 18 saves on 21 shots.

The two teams reconvene on Saturday to round out the weekend. This time, it was Taber who opened with three straight goals, and the Suns were able to hold off any comeback as they secured a 6-4 win. Weiss scored twice, Heston Hansen had two assists, Weatherhead and Stronge had a goal and an assist each, Loki Thacker and Nixen Miller scored, and Hunter Simpson and Blake Smith chipped in with an assist each. Jack Lukacs made his final start of the regular season and posted 25 saves on 29 shots.

In the South Division, Taber finished in second place with a 16-14-4 record and 36 points. The U18 Suns begin the Regional Round Robin this week in Medicine Hat. On Thursday, they kick it off with a 4 p.m. game against the Medicine Hat Hounds. Friday sees two games — the first at 10:30 a.m. against the Foothills Bisons. The day ends with a 6:45 p.m. game against the Wheatland Warriors.