Regular season starts for three Golden Suns teams

Posted on October 3, 2024 by Taber Times

By Cole Parkinson
Taber Times

This past weekend saw three of four Taber Golden Suns’ teams start their Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL) seasons.

U11

The U11s were off this past weekend as they get their season underway on Oct. 19 when they welcome in the Central Alberta Selects at 12:15 p.m. at the Taber Arena.

U13

Friday night saw the U13 Golden Suns kick off their season as they hit the road to take on the Foothills Bisons. The first period saw the home team jump out to a quick 2-0 lead as the Suns were outshot 16-8.

The second got underway and the Suns finally got on the board with three unanswered. Shawn Mrowil scored the first goal of the year with Justin Siemens drawing the assist. Jaxon Kalo added the second unassisted while Callaghan Tjeerdema scored an unassisted powerplay goal to give the Suns a 3-2 lead.

The Selects would answer back with two of their own as they scored a shorthanded goal and a powerplay marker to take a 4-3 lead into the final frame.

The home side would extend that lead to three early in the third period before Tjeerdema added his second of the year as Travis Jackson and Declan Okell had the helpers. Ten minutes later, Holden Emelson would add another for Taber to tie the game — Tjeerdema had the assist. That would be all either team could muster as the game went down as a 5-5 tie. Nash Stober got the start in net for Taber as the netminder made 29 saves on 34 shots.

Looking for their first win, the team returned home on Sunday as they took on Red Deer Wesco Chiefs. Red Deer would score right off the bat, but Jackson would score his first of the year just a minute later. Siemens would have the lone helper on the tying goal. Late in the period, the visitors would add another goal as they took a 2-1 lead into the second.

The second started off all Red Deer as they scored three straight before Deacon Webb got Taber back on the board. Cooper Lutz and Eli Robb collected assists on the lone Taber second goal and Red Deer took a 5-2 lead into the final frame. Taber would battle hard and added another three goals, but Red Deer hit the back of the net twice more as they won 7-5. Mrowil, Tjeerdema, and Okell had the goals while Jackson added another two assists and Robb had a single. Drew Tame was in net for Taber in the second game of the weekend and provided 23 saves on 30 shots.

The Suns return to the ice for a single game this weekend as they welcome in the Bow Valley Timberwolves on Saturday afternoon. Puck drop is set for 2:45 p.m. at the Taber Arena.

U15

With the U15 roster set, the Golden Suns took to the ice this past weekend to get their season started. This year, the U15s ice a roster which includes:

Hudson Stenger

Hayden Eldridge

Ben Van Der Linde

Ryker Orsten

Myles Matisho

Ryland Span

Cason Flexhaug

Tony King

Julian Woordman

Jhett Stober

Grayson Honess

Cole Bouchard

Cole Swanson

Bril Haraga

Paxton Powell

Madix Miller

Nash Skanderuo

Ashton Jensen

Jack Lukacs

Brandt L’Hirondelle

Saturday saw the Suns head out on the road to take on the Lacombe Ford Central Alberta Selects. The first saw the teams trade goals as the period ended tied 2-2. Eldridge and Orsten had the goals while Flexhaug and Haraga had the assists. The second saw a lone goal for the Selects as they took a one-goal lead into the third period.

Haraga would get one back for the Suns at the beginning of the third period, but from there it was all Selects as they took home a 6-3 victory. Lukacs was the starter for Taber, making 52 saves on 58 shots.

Looking for a bounce back, the Suns were back out on the road on Sunday as they faced off against the Old Grizzlys. Unfortunately for the Suns, the Grizzlys were all business as they hit the throttle and took the game 9-0. L’Hirondelle was the starting netminder for Taber and he made 39 saves on 48 shots.

The Suns look for their first victory this weekend as they have their home opener on Saturday evening when the Okotoks Oilers come to town. Puck drop goes at 5:15 p.m. at the Taber Arena.

U18

It was a two-game homestead for the U18s as they took on a pair of Calgary teams to start their AEHL campaign. This year’s U18 roster includes:

Jasper Sidam

Heston Hansen

Landon McEwan

Raiden Koizumi

Foster Weatherhead

Hunter Simpson

Tage Jensen

Dalton Damon

Liam Okell

Nixen Miller

Nathan Rijkers

Zander Weatherhead

Maxx Davis

Blake Smith

Kylan Odlan

Grayson Beigel

Blaise Odland

Ryler Kiss

Ryder Van Buskirk

Dagrin Bahr-Hemsing

Dakota Hurst

First up was a date against CNHA Gold on Saturday. The first period started strong for the Suns as Hansen got things started with an early goal and Foster Weatherhead and Miller had the assists. Despite a tying goal six minutes later, the Suns were able to regain the lead shortly after as Kiss scored on the powerplay. Van Buskirk and Okell drew the assists as the Suns took a 2-1 lead into the middle frame.

Miller would add to the lead early in the second with Jensen and Foster Weatherhead collecting the assists. CNHA Gold would score three straight to take their first lead. Right at the end of the period, Rijkens would hit the back of the net on the penalty kill to tie the game back up. Miller and Odland would draw the assists as the teams went into the third all-square at 4-4.

The third was unkind to the Suns as the visitors scored two quick goals and poured it on from there as they took a 9-4 win. Bahr-Hemsing made 49 saves on 57 shots while Hurst made four saves on five shots in relief.

After a disappointing opener, the Suns welcomed in CRAA Blue on Sunday as they looked to make it a 1-1 weekend. The Suns would take a 1-0 lead thanks to Miller’s second of the season but that would be all the scoring for Taber as they fell 4-1. Hurst made 39 saves on 43 shots while Bahr-Hemsing made two saves in relief.

The Suns now prepare to hit the road on Sunday as they have to take on CNHA Black at 1:45 p.m.