Another weekend of games for the Golden Suns

By Cole Parkinson
For Taber Times

Another weekend of games has come and gone for all three Taber Golden Suns teams as South Central Alberta Hockey League action continues into October.

U13

It was another two-game weekend for the U13 Golden Suns as they hit the road for the first time and were back home to wrap up the weekend. On Saturday evening, the Suns were on the Road to Medicine Hat to take on the Hounds. The home team would jump out with five straight goals in the first period. The Suns would answer back with one of their own in the second as Dax Hill scored on the power play with Jaxton Rodeback collecting that assist. The Hounds would add another before the end of the period and take a 6-1 lead into the third. Neither team would win up scoring in the third as Medicine Hat took the game 6-1. Drew Tame was the starting netminder for Taber as the goalie made 39 saves on 45 shots.

On Sunday morning, the Suns looked to come out of the weekend with a 1-1 record as the Foothills Bisons were in town. Despite the Bisons scoring an early goal in the opening frame, the Suns would see Marcus Schwartz tie the game minutes later. The teams would hit the break with a 1-1 tie. Early in the second period, Ben Van De Linde would put one past the Bisons’ net minder as Schwartz and Hudson Stenger had the helpers. Foothills though would tie the game and the teams once again went into the intermission tied. The Suns came out flying in the third period as they scored three straight goals and would end up skating to a 5-3 victory on home ice. Hill, Rodeback, and Hayden Eldridge had the goals while Lincoln Deleeuw had a pair of assists and Travis Jackson had a single. Cale Campbell got the start between the pipes, making 19 saves on 22 shots.

The next action for the U13 Suns comes this weekend as they prepare for another pair of games. On Saturday, the Suns are back on the road for a rematch against the Medicine Hat Hounds at 2:30 p.m. Sunday sees the Suns return home for another game against the Hounds with puck drop at 1 p.m.

U15

A single game was on tap for the U15 Golden Suns as they were looking for their first win of the season. On Saturday evening, the Suns were the visitors when they took on the Foothills Bisons. Tony King would get the Suns on the board in the first period as Ryker Orsten collected an assist. 

Neither team was able to find the back of the net after that and the Suns took a 1-0 lead into the second period. The middle frame was all Bisons as the home team scored a pair of goals and went into the third up 2-1. The Suns would tie things up quickly in the third as Liam Okell scored on the power play with Foster Weatherhead drawing the assist. The Bisons would score a few minutes later to retake the lead. With a late powerplay at the end of the period, Nixen Miller would tie the game with 21 seconds left. Heston Hansen had the assist on the tying goal. The game would end tied 3-3. Griffin Stenger was stellar between the pipes as the netminder made 37 saves on 40 shots.

The U15 Suns will continue their search for their first win of the season on Oct. 27 when they head out on the road to take on the Okotoks Oilers. On October. 29, the Suns return home for a date with the Olds Grizzlys.

U18

As the weekend arrived, the U18 Golden Suns prepared for a pair of games. On Friday night, the team hit the road as they took on the East Kootenay Avalanche. The Suns would take an early lead as Nathan Rijkens found the back of the net with Hayden Smith drawing the assist. East Kootenay though would answer with three straight and take a 3-1 lead into the middle frame. The second saw the home team extend their lead to 5-1 and the Suns had a sizeable gap to close heading into the final period. The Suns would cut into the lead thanks to a Jett Matisho power play marker as Landon Howg and Connor Chapman found the scoresheet with an assist each. Unfortunately for Taber, the Aves would add another two goals to take the game 7-2. Keegan Stenger was busy in net as the goalie made 38 saves on 45 shots.

Looking to end the weekend on a high note, the Suns were back on the road on Sunday as they faced off against the Bow Valley Timberwolves. Things didn’t quite go well for the Suns as the home team was dominant from start to finish as they skated to a 10-1 win. Dalton Damen had the lone Taber goal as Berkley Emerson and Matisho had the assists. Kahil Wright faced 62 shots in net.

The U18 Suns now have a bit of a break from SCHAL as they don’t hit the ice until Nov. 3 and Nov. 4.