Copperheads, Picture Butte Atom B Blades & Jimmy’s Mighty Knights hit the ice

Coaldale Copperheads, after such a strong start to the season and sitting in one of the top ranking league spots, fell backwards this past weekend losing two games.
Saturday night, on home ice against the Red Deer Vipers, the Snakes had their eyes closed for the early part of the first period.
They were down two goals in the opening 1:46 of the game.
Brendon Benson, from Mackenzie Karl, finally got things started at 3:29 but Red Deer didn’t take long to find their third.
At the end of the first, Matthew Nadeau with a two on one, scored to end the period down 3-2.
The second period the Vipers scored the lone goal plus the opening goal of the third period — (5-2).
Jonathan Zdan scored a power play goal near the end of the game for the home team. The Copperheads worked hard the last half of the game but couldn’t find the bounces they were needing therefore, took a 5-3 league loss.
Sunday the team travelled to Ponoka, where its team is currently last place in the north. The Snakes had no better luck, hitting three goal posts and three cross bars; it just seemed winning this weekend was not meant to be.
Unfortunately, with a loss in overtime shoot out, the team faced a huge couple of lessons — value to holding onto a lead; you need to capitalize when you have chances and penalties that were costly.
Goal scorers in regulation were Clay Spencer, Brendon Benson, Ryan Swier and Matthew Nadeau.
The team hopes to find their starting groove all over again next weekend and put the past weekend behind them making them an even stronger team.
With only 16 out of the 38 games played into the schedule the team is sitting second in the south — three points behind Cochrane — ( 12-3-1).
Next home action is this coming Saturday against the Stettler Lightning ( 7-7-1) at 8:30 p.m.
The Picture Butte Atom B Blades had tournament action in Claresholm this weekend.
Despite excellent efforts in net from both Kaden Groenenboom and Kyle Harrington, losses to the Claresholm Thunder and the Glenlake Atom Blue teams wrapped up Saturday action.
The Blades finished the tournament on Sunday morning with a win over the Lethbridge Cougars.
Luka Rudelich had a hat trick with Leeland Fraser contributing a lone goal.
Grady McLeod had a strong game adding two more goals.
Games continue next weekend in Picture Butte.
Jimmy’s Mighty Knights, the Picture Butte Initiation Blades, were outscored by the Raymond Comets in Saturday’s match.
Ryder Johnson and Matthew Vanzeggelaar defended the net, while Jesse Klingenberg blasted three into the opposing net and Jaxon Kraemer added another.
Although the score doesn’t always end in their favour, it is easy to tell from the smiles on their faces these players, ranging from four to six years of age, are not only developing their hockey skills, but are loving every minute they have on the ice.
Who could ask for anything more?