Taber Golden Suns look to turn seasons around

By Cole Parkinson
For Taber Times

It certainly hasn’t been a great start for any of the Taber Golden Suns teams in the South Central Hockey League up to this point. The good news is there is still plenty of season left to turn things around, and all three teams hoped to get that started this past weekend.

U13

With one game on tap this past weekend for the U13 Suns, the team was on the road on Sunday afternoon as they took on the Foothills Bisons.

The Bisons would take a 1-0 lead into the second period, but the Suns would answer quickly. Both teams would trade goals back and forth for a little while in the middle frame, but the Suns’ offence continued to find the back of the net as they carried a 6-3 lead into the third. The final frame saw the Bisons open the scoring yet again, but the Suns would score three straight en route to a 9-4 victory.

Hudson Stenger led the way for Taber with a hat trick and an assist while Lincoln Deleeuw had a pair of goals and an assist, Jaxton Rodeback had a goal and an assist, and Declan Okell had two assists. Ben Van Der Linde, Jude Klingenberg, and Marcus Schwartz had a goal each while Travis Jackson, Barrett DeVlieger, and Hayden Eldridge all had an assist in the win. Cale Campbell got the start between the pipes and made 18 saves on 22 shots.

The U13 Suns are now gearing up for their final two games of the month that come this coming weekend. On Saturday, the Medicine Hat Hounds come to Taber for a 3 p.m. puck drop. Sunday sees the Wheatland Braves in Taber for a 1 p.m. game.

U15

The U15s also had a single game on the calendar this past weekend as they hit the road on Saturday to take on the Medicine Hat SEAC Tigers.

After no scoring early in the period, the Suns would capitalize on the powerplay with just over five minutes to play to take the first lead of the game. Canaan Fleck would score the goal assisted by Liam Okell and Foster Weatherhead. Coming out of the intermission, the period would start with no scoring, but Taber would widen their lead just past the midway part of the second as Weatherhead found the back of the net with Fleck drawing the assist. Seconds later the Tigers would close the gap to one and that’s how the period would end. The third period was all Tigers as they were able to score three straight goals and take the game 4-2. Griffin Stenger was stellar in net as the goalie turned away 61 of 64 shots.

The Suns have one game coming this weekend as the Okotoks Oilers come to town for a 5:30 p.m. puck drop on Saturday.

U18

Two games were on tap for the U18 Suns this weekend as they had a home and an away game. Saturday saw Okotoks come to town and unfortunately for Taber, the Oilers scored early and often in an 8-1 win. Landon Howg had the lone Taber marker with Berkley Emelson and Tage Jensen drawing the assists. Kahil Wright was in net and made 40 saves on 48 shots.

The team would regroup in a big way on Sunday when they travelled to Calgary to take on the CBHA Rangers. Thanks to a Connor Chapman hat trick, the Suns would skate to a 4-3 win. Landon Howg would add a goal and two assists in the win while Taber also saw Chase Stronge have two assists, and Blake Smith, Hunter Simpson, and Dalton Damen all had a single assist. Keegan Stenger got the start in net and made 44 saves on 47 shots.

One game remains in November for the U18 Suns as they welcome in the East Kootenay Avalanche on Saturday for an 8 p.m. game.