Golden Suns play final games of November

By Cole Parkinson
For Taber Times

Christmas is drawing near and Taber Golden Suns teams saw their final games in November this past weekend as all three looked to collect a few wins.

U13

November ended with a pair of games for the U13 Suns as they hosted Medicine Hat and Wheatland. Saturday saw Medicine Hat come to town on Saturday for the first game of the weekend. The first period would end in a 2-2 tie as Hudson Stenger potted a pair of goals for the Suns as Travis Jackson had a pair of assists, while Jaxton Rodeback and Grayson Honess had one each.

Medicine Hat would score the lone goal in the second period and they took a 3-2 lead into the final frame. Stenger would complete the hat trick early in the third with Jackson notching his third assist of the game on the goal. Stenger wasn’t done there as he would score his fourth just after the midway part of the period as Jackson and Barrett DeVlieger had the assists. Unfortunately, the Hounds would tie the game a few minutes later. With the seconds ticking down, the Hounds would find the game-winner with only seven seconds left on the board as they took the game 5-4. Drew Tame was between the pipes for Taber as the netminder made 31 saves on 36 shots.

Sunday saw the Wheatland Braves come to town and it was a game to forget for the Suns as the visitors skated to a 16-0 victory. Cale Campbell was in net and made 26 saves on 42 shots.

After the weekend, the Suns sit tied for fifth place in the South Conference with a 3-15 record and six points. The Suns look to rebound this coming weekend when they hit the road for a pair of games. On Saturday afternoon they take on the West Central Tigers before finishing out the weekend on Sunday with a game against the Airdrie Lightning.

U15

Two games were on tap this past weekend for the U15 Suns as they played host to Okotoks and Lethbridge.

The weekend kicked off with a matchup against the Oilers and the Suns would jump out to a 1-0 lead in the first period thanks to a Foster Weatherhead powerplay marker. Canaan Fleck and Heston Hansen drew the assists. The second was all Oilers as Okotoks potted a pair and took a 2-1 lead into the final frame. Undeterred by the second period, the Suns came out in the third and scored three to take the game 4-2. Nixen Miller had a pair of goals while Hansen had the other. Liam Okell and Brooke Dyck found the scoresheet with an assist each. Dakota Hurst had the win in net with 37 saves on 39 shots.

Sunday saw a tough matchup against Lethbridge as the Hurricanes came to town. The visitors would break the ice in the first and took a 2-0 lead into the second period. That lead was extended early in the second before Dyck potted a goal to cut the lead back down to two. Blaise Odland and Miller drew the assists on the first Taber goal of the game. Miller would add a shorthanded marker a few minutes later and the Suns were right back in the game. The scoring continued for both teams past the 10-minute mark as Lethbridge would add another. Before the end of the period, Taber would continue to fight for a comeback as Paxton Powell scored with Hansen drawing the assist. The third was all Lethbridge though as the Canes would add three more and take the game 7-3. Griffin Stenger was the starting goalie for Taber, making 35 saves on 42 shots.

The U15s are currently sitting in last place in the South Conference with a 3-10-3 record and nine points. This coming weekend is a busy one for the U15 Suns as they have three games on tap. Friday sees them hit the road to Lethbridge for a rematch against the Hurricanes. They then return home on Saturday to take on the Bow Valley Timberwolves with puck drop set for 5:30 p.m. The weekend wraps up on Sunday with an afternoon game against the Airdrie Lightning.

U18

A single game came and went for the U18 Suns as they took on the East Kootenay Avalanche at home on Saturday night. It wasn’t the Suns’ night as they fell 4-0 in the game. Keegan Stenger was the starting netminder in the game for Taber, making 22 saves on 26 shots.

The U18 Golden Suns are in fifth place in the South Division with a 3-11 record and six points. The Suns hit the road this past weekend for a pair of games. On Saturday, the team takes on the Lethbridge Hurricanes while Sunday sees Taber hit the road to Calgary for a matchup against CNHA Gold.