Suns wrap up another weekend of action

Posted on December 12, 2024 by Taber Times

By Cole Parkinson
Taber Times

The first full weekend of Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL) was underway for four of five Taber Golden Suns teams as they looked to secure points before the break.

U11

The U11 Suns were off from AEHL action but were in Saskatchewan for the 2024 Saskatoon Challenge Cup. In round robin action, the Suns would beat the Renegade Xtreme 5-4 before posting a dominating 9-1 win over the Regina Falcons. In their final round robin game, the Suns would stay 3-0 with a 5-2 win over the Wild Thunder. 

In their first playoff game, the Suns took a close one 3-2 over the Martensville Villains.

The Suns are back to regular season games this weekexnd when they host Medicine Hat on Saturday afternoon at 12:15 p.m. On Sunday, the Suns see Okotoks in town for a 10:30 a.m. game.

U13

It was a single game on the schedule for the U13 Suns as they welcomed in the Foothills Bisons on Sunday. Boston Constant would spot Taber the first lead of the game near the midway mark of the first as Jaxon Kalo would have the assist. That would be it for scoring as the teams went into the second period. 

Taber would extend that lead thanks to a Cooper Lutz short handed goal from Travis Jackson early in the middle frame. The Bisons would cut the lead to one seconds later with a powerplay goal. Scoring continued fast and furious as the Suns would add their own powerplay goal as Jackson found the back of the net. Constant and Eli Robb notched the assists. But the Bisons would answer right back to get Taber’s lead back down to one. Special teams continued to be inmproitant as Taber scored a late powerplay goal from Constant. Jackson and Robb had another assist each. 

With a two-goal lead heading into the third, Taber kept Foothills off the board until 13:59 when the visitors would score on the powerplay. Despite that goal, Taber would shut it down for the rest of the game as they secured a 4-3 win. Nash Stober collected the win in net with a 26-save performance. 

The U13 Suns don’t resume AEHL action until the new year when they return with games on Jan. 4 and 5 against Foothills and Medicine Hat

U15

Only one game was on tap for the U15s as they hosted the Airdrie Lightning on Saturday. Airdrie would score the lone goal in the first thanks to a shorthanded marker. Taber would answer back early in the second as Tony King tied the game. Neither team was able to much else offensively as they went into the final frame tied at 1-1. 

Jhett Stober would give Taber their first lead of the game near the midway point of the third as Cole Bouchard had the lone assist. Just over a minute later, the Lightning would tie things up. That would be how the game would end as neither team was able to find a game winning goal. Jack Lukacs made the start for Taber and the netminder made 21 saves on 23 shots.

The Suns return for another one-game weekend as they head out to Okotoks on Sunday afternoon to take on the Oilers. Puck drop is at 3:30 p.m.

U18

It was a two-game homestand for the U18 Suns as they were in tough against a pair of good teams. First up was a Friday night game against the Medicine Hat Hounds. Neither team scored in the first period and it was Medicine Hat who would open things up early in the second. Dalton Damen would even things up for the Suns a few minutes later with an unassisted goal. From there it was all Hounds as they scored three unanswered to end the period. In the third, Medicine Hat would add another and took the game 5-1. Dagrin Bahr-Hemsing was busy in between the pipes and the Taber netminder made 34 saves on 39 shots.

Sunday was one to forget as the Suns dropped their second of the weekend 13-2 against Foothills. Landon McEwen and Blake Smith were the goal scores as Foster Weatherhead, Tage Jensen, Ryder Van Buskirk, and Raiden Koizumi all had an assist. Bahr-Hemsing made 45 saves on 53 shots.

Next weekend sees another two games for the U18s as they head out on the road. On Saturday, they’re in Medicine Hat to take on the West Central Tigers at 7:45 p.m. The following day sees the Suns in Airdrie for a date with the Lightning. Puck drop is at 2 p.m.