Golden Suns compete in playoffs

By Cole Parkinson
Taber Times

The most exciting portion of the Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL) is here, and Taber Golden Suns teams are looking to do some damage in the playoffs.

U11

After a first-round bye, the Taber Golden Suns are readying for their first round of playoffs. After the first round of the Plains Division, Olds, Brooks, Medicine Hat, Wheatland, Sylvan Lake, Central Alberta, and Lethbridge have advanced. Taber will compete in Pool A with Wheatland, Medicine Hat, and Lethbridge.

U13

It was a busy weekend for the U13 Suns as they were competing in their regional round robin playoffs. Things started on March 5 when they took on the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Taber would fall back 2-0 in the first period before trading goals back and forth in the second. Heading into the final frame, Taber was down 4-3. They would tie the game early in the period, but Lethbridge would score the game-winner at 16:26. 

Holden Emelson scored twice and added an assist, Lincoln Braun tallied a goal and an assist, Burke Williams hit the back of the net, and Dane Beckie, Justin Siemens, Levin Hanf, and Jackson Wiest all notched an assist. Lance Leusink started in net for Taber and made 26 saves on 31 shots.

After an opening tournament loss, Taber turned their sights to the Wheatland Warriors on Friday. In another tight contest, Taber was able to grind out a 6-5 win thanks to two late third-period goals. Hanf scored two goals, Wiest and Williams each had a goal and an assist, Siemens and Ben Souter scored, and Beckie, Braun, Emelson, Ben Wojszel, and Levi Van der Hoek all chipped in with an assist. Dylan Volk started in net and posted 19 saves on 24 shots.

On Saturday, the Suns took on the Medicine Hat Hounds. Taber and Medicine Hat would trade goals throughout the game, and neither was able to score a winner as it ended 4-4. Wojszel notched three assists, Wiest had a goal and two assists, Williams had a goal and an assist, and Souter and Siemens hit the back of the net. Leusink made 21 saves on 25 shots in the Suns’ net.

The round robin wrapped up later that day as the Suns took on the Foothills Bisons. Taber would fall back 3-0, and while they would close the gap, they were unable to get a tying goal as they lost 4-3. Braun, Hanf, and Emelson had the goals and Korbin Rodwell, Noah Lindstedt, Wiest, Williams, and Wojszel all had an assist. Leusink was back between the pipes and made 35 saves on 39 shots.

Finishing with a 1-2-1 record, Taber was unable to advance. In the South Final, Foothills defeated Lethbridge. Foothills now takes on Red Deer in the best-of-three South Conference Championship.

U18

The U18 Suns were looking to start fast in their regional round robin this past weekend. Starting on Thursday, Taber began with a matchup against the Medicine Hat Hounds. Despite falling back 2-0 in the first period, Taber had a strong second period en route to a 5-4 win to open the tournament. Nixen Miller and Chase Stronge had a goal and an assist, Ryler Kiss notched a pair of assists, Heston Hansen, Raiden Koizumi, and Foster Weatherhead all scored, and Madix Miller, Lincoln Weiss, Liam Okell, and Blake Smith all found the scoresheet with an assist. Jack Lukacs was the starting goalie and made 18 stops on 22 shots.

Looking for another win, the Suns were back on the ice Friday as they took on the Foothills Bisons. Taber would score plenty of goals as they skated to a 7-4 win. Weatherhead had a great game with two goals and three assists, while Smith and Nixen Miller had a pair of assists. Loki Thacker, Hunter Simpson, Landon McEwen, Stronge, and Okell all scored, and Madix Miller had an assist. Lukacs was back in net for Taber, and the netminder made 42 stops on 46 shots.

Later on Friday, Taber took on the Wheatland Warriors. The Suns continued their strong play as they steamrolled the Warriors 8-1. Stronge notched a hat trick and an assist, Weiss, Hansen, and Nixen Miller scored and added two assists, Smith scored and had an assist, Thacker hit the back of the net, and Weatherhead, Okell, and Breton Villemaire all had an assist. Dakota Hurst got his first start of the tournament and made 18 saves on 19 shots.

With a 3-0 record in the round robin, Taber found themselves in the South Division final against the Foothills Bisons. Weiss would open the scoring in the first period as Weatherhead notched the assist. The Bisons would tie the game at 12:19 in the second period, and neither team would score in the third. Heading into overtime, the shots were 34-33 in favour of the Bisons. Unfortunately for Taber, Foothills would score the game winner at 8:06. Lukacs took the loss in net with 33 saves on 35 shots.

Foothills now faces the Bow Valley Timberwolves in the best-of-three South Conference Championship.