Eagles and AEHL skate into second half of season

By Dale Woodard - Lethbridge Herald on January 12, 2022.

The Lethbridge Eagles started the second half of their season with a one-two battle of Alberta Junior Female Hockey League South Division.
However, the second-place Eagles came up just short against the first-place Cochrane Chaos as Lethbridge dropped a close 4-3 decision Sunday afternoon at Nicholas Sheran Arena.
The Eagles held a 3-2 lead after two periods of play, but a pair of Chaos goals in the third period from Autumn Kehler and Alexis Smith paced the visitors to the win.
With the loss the Eagles are 14-6-1, while the Chaos pad their lead in the South, improving to 18-2-0, moving up seven points on the Eagles.
The teams traded goals late in the first period.
Cochrane’s Faith Greenough got the Chaos on the board with 5:57 left in the first, but Lethbridge’s Kendi Lundell pulled the Eagles even 54 seconds later.
Eagles forward Kyra Greig scored twice in the second period for a 3-1 lead, but the Chaos started the comeback with 3:10 left in the second on a goal from Kari Pedder that closed the gap to 3-2 before the Chaos added two more in the third.
Hayley Whelen stopped 34 of 38 shots for the Eagles.
The Eagles hit the road this weekend on a two-game trip north.
They’re in Fort Saskatchewan Saturday to face the Jr. A Fury and head to Sherwood Park Sunday to take on the Steele.
The Eagles are back home Jan. 23 when they host the Calgary Titans at 4:15 p.m. at Nicholas Sheran Arena.
In Alberta Elite Hockey League action, the Lethbridge U16 Headwater Hurricanes also opened the second half of their season with a one-goal loss.
The Canes were edged 4-3 by the Calgary Flames (NWCAA) Sunday at the Logan Boulet Arena, battling back from a 3-0 deficit early in the second period to make it close.
The loss puts Lethbridge at 10-9-0 and into sixth place in the South Division.
On Sunday, the Flames led 3-0 by the 53-second mark of the second period before the Hurricanes replied with a pair to cut the lead to 3-2 after 40 minutes as Nathan Hawkins and Connor Chapman scored late in the period.
The Flames restored their two-goal lead early in the third before Chapman added his second of the game with 6:04 remaining to get the Hurricanes back within one.
Chapman added an assist for a three-point afternoon.
Adrien Fox chipped in with two helpers for Lethbridge, while goaltender Harrison DeJong made 37 saves in the loss.
Sunday’s loss was the first of four home games in a row for the Canes, who are back home this weekend when they host the Calgary Royals Saturday at 3 p.m. and the Red Deer North Stars at 11:45 a.m. Sunday, both at the Logan Boulet Arena.
The Lethbridge U15 Val Matteotti Golden Hawks went 0-2 at home and on the road last weekend.
The Hawks were downed 7-4 by the Fort Saskatchewan Enhance It Rangers Saturday at Nicholas Sheran Arena and shut out 4-0 by the Calgary Northstars Sunday in Calgary.
With the losses, the Golden Hawks are now 3-20-0.
On Saturday at Nicholas Sheran Arena, the Golden Hawks led 2-1 after the first period, but three second period goals paced the Rangers to a 4-3 lead after 40 minutes as the visitors added three more in the third to salt the win.
Briggs Olson and Parker Gamble scored in the first for Lethbridge and Kobe Urasaki added another in the second.
Jager Gugyelka scored midway through the third for Lethbridge.
Gamble added an assist for two points, while Kayson Christian had three assists.
Brylin Noble stopped 36 of 43 shots in the loss.
On Sunday in Calgary, the Golden Hawks pumped 38 shots at Northstars goaltender Kason Kobelka, but were unable to get one past him.
Golden Hawks goaltender Seth Bird-Goodstriker kicked out 26 of 30 shots.
The Golden Hawks are off from AEHL play this weekend, but return to Nicholas Sheran Arena Jan. 23 in a rematch with the Northstars at noon.
The Lethbridge U18 AA Hockey Hounds went .500 in South Central Alberta Hockey League play last weekend.
The Hounds were topped 6-2 by the Medicine Hat Hounds Saturday in Medicine Hat but doubled the Foothills Bisons 4-2 Sunday in Okotoks.
The win and loss move the Hockey Hounds to 6-14-4 and into fifth place in the South Division.
Zac Rajcic led Lethbridge with two goals and an assist in Sunday’s win as the Hockey Hounds jumped out to a 3-1 lead after the first period.
Ashton Angle and Zane Rajcic added the other Hockey Hounds goals.
Tyrus Houston added a pair of helpers for the Lethbridge.
Ryan Dekok made 22 saves to earn the win.
On Saturday in Medicine Hat, the hosts snapped a 1-1 tie after the second period with five third period goals.
Zane Rajcic and Angle scored for the Hockey Hounds.
Nixon Ordway stopped 34 of 40 shots in the loss.
The Hockey Hounds are back in action Friday night when they host the Taber Golden Suns at 7:30 p.m. at Nicholas Sheran Arena.