The AA Midget CA Selects came into their game against the CHNA Canucks out of Calgary hoping to take a run at the SCAHL’s best team.
Unfortunately for the Selects, the Canucks would double them in the shot column 40-20 en route to 5-1 win in Lacombe.
Despite the Selects being on the powerplay three times in the first, it would be the Canucks who struck first with a goal by Himour.
“These Calgary teams are all small, fast and you have to start hitting them. We didn’t get what we wanted in the first,” Selects Assistant Coach Layne Harty said.
The Selects looked to regroup in the second period but an awkward bounce off the board led to a 4-on-1 break for the Canucks resulting in a goal by Downie.
Central Alberta showed some life on the next posses ion, getting a goal quickly from Matt Allan to make it a one-goal game again, but Hlady would answer with a goal for Calgary killing Lacombe’s momentum.
“When we get the momentum, we usually keep it going but bad bounces resulted in a couple bad goals against us,” Harty said.
The Canucks would add two goals from Franklin and Avery Collantes to lead to the final score 5-1.
The Selects remain in fourth place in the north conference with 24 points, four points behind the Red Deer Elks and the Olds Grizzlys who are tied for second with 28 points.
Harty said this weekend was a good test for the Selects, losing against the north-leading West Central Tigers and the SCAHL’s best team.
“We almost got back up to .500, but this weekend we played the two best teams in the league. Last night we got down one against Sylvan and tonight we lost to the best team in the league. It was a hard weekend,” Harty said.
The Selects head out on the road to take on the NWCAA Bruins on Feb. 1, before returning home the following night to take on the Wheatland Chiefs.
“”Hopefully we can pull out a couple wins next week,” he said.
Harty said playing a full 60 minutes next weekend will be key for Selects.
“We always get down against teams. We gain some momentum, but we don’t seem to get the bounces and end up losing because of the beginning of the game,” Harty said.
Harty said they need to rely on the high-end offensive talents to produce goal-scoring.
“Josh Johnson is our go-to-guy for goals, along with his two linemates Caleb (Andrew) and Matt Allan,” Harty said. “They are physical, lay the body and are pretty consistent.
“Our second line guys put up some points, but they aren’t as consistent.”
With minor hockey week approaching, Harty said the Selects rely on support throughout the large region their team draws from.
“We have a lot of guys from Delburne, Ponoka and it really helps. When we go to those places we get decent crowds and that is always nice,” he said.
todd.vaughan@lacombeexpress.com
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