Copperheads take one point in final weekend of 2021

By Dale Woodard on December 22, 2021.

The Coaldale Copperheads went 0-1-1 to close out the 2021 portion of their season.

The Copperheads grabbed one point in a 5-4 shootout setback to the Airdrie Thunder Friday night in Airdrie and were shut out 4-3 by the Medicine Hat Cubs Sunday in Medicine Hat in Heritage Junior Hockey League play last weekend.

The losses put the Copperheads at 16-8-3 heading into the Christmas break, three points back of the Cubs for second place in the HJHL Southern Division.

On Friday in Airdrie, Coaldale led the Thunder 3-2 after two periods, but two Thunder goals in the third set the stage for overtime and ultimately the shootout.

The Copperheads led 2-1 after the first period on goals from Koden Lazar and Sean Burns.

Coaldale went up 3-1 27 seconds into the second as Brogan Booth scored.

The Thunder replied with three unanswered goals – one in the second period and two more in the third – for a 4-3 lead.

But Copperhead Brandon Creighton’s goal with 44 seconds left in regulation guaranteed Coaldale one point and set up overtime.

After the extra session didn’t produce a winner, Brandon Creighton scored in the first round of the shootout for the Copperheads.

But Thunder goaltender Steven Romanchuk turned aside the next four Coaldale shooters, while Airdrie’s Jacob Cathcart and Zach Couling tallied in the shootout to seal the win for the hosts.

Burns had an assist for a two-point night, while Copperheads goaltender Ethan Barrows stopped 37 of 41 shots.

On Sunday in Medicine Hat, the Cubs scored twice in the second and third periods to notch the shutout win and move three points up on the Copperheads for second place in the South.

Logan Leroux made 35 saves for Coaldale. Cubs goaltender Dawsen Savage stopped all 26 shots he faced in the shutout win.

The Copperheads return in 2022 as they host the Kainai Junior Braves Jan. 9 at the Coaldale Sportsplex.