HJHL regular season opens Saturday for Copperheads

Posted on September 19, 2024 by Sunny South News

By Garrett Simmons
Sunny South News

The preseason has wrapped up for the Coaldale Copperheads.

Coaldale finished with an 0-3 record after a pair of weekend losses to the Medicine Hat Cubs.

Saturday, the Copperheads fell 8-5, despite a strong first period. Coaldale led 2-0 after 20 minutes, as Carden Heins opened the scoring with an unassisted tally. Landon Howg made it 2-0 on a goal assisted by Heins and John Vanden Elzen.

But things fell apart in the second period. Medicine Hat cut the lead to one on a powerplay goal, before Nathan Verloop restored the two-goal lead, as Eric Price and Ryan Holm drew assists.

Three straight powerplay goals from the Cubs made it 4-3 Medicine Hat.

Holm scored to tie things up, on a goal assisted by Verloop, before the Cubs scored twice to take a 6-4 advantage.

Griffin McCulloch scored to give the Copperheads a fighting chance, as Howg and Keston Henry drew the helpers.

Another Cubs powerplay goal put the game out of reach, before the Cubs added an empty-net goal.

On Sunday, the Cubs skated to a 7-5 loss to the Cubs, as Medicine Hat stormed back with five goals in the third.

Verloop and Bill Houenagnon scored first-period goals for Coaldale, as the Copperheads led 2-1 after 20. Nolan Price drew an assist on the second goal.

Vanden Elzen’s powerplay goal made it 3-1, as Heins and Nolan Price drew assists. After a Cubs marker, Heins scored an unassisted goal to make it 4-2 after two periods.

But in the third, the Cubs scored the first three goals of the period, before Heins scored again, assisted by Vanden Elzen and Delaine Rabbit.

Medicine Hat closed the scoring with two late goals.

With the preseason out of the way, Coaldale now prepares for the regular season opener. On Saturday, the Copperheads will lift the lid on the 2024/2025 season with a home game against Cochrane at 7 p.m.

Sunday, Coaldale will host the Cubs at 5 p.m. to wrap up a big opening weekend.