Copperheads earn split of weekend games

Posted on February 9, 2023 by Sunny South News

By Garrett Simmons
Sunny South News

It was another 1-1 weekend for the Coaldale Copperheads in regular season play.

Coaldale opened things up with a 6-4 loss on Saturday to Medicine Hat, on home ice, before the Copperheads rebounded with a 5-2 win on the road Sunday over Cochrane.

Saturday’s contest saw Coaldale dig out of an early hole, as the Cubs led 3-0 after one period of play, before the Copperheads responded with two goals to open the second.

Caden Heins got the home side on the board with a powerplay goal to make it 3-1, as he converted on a feed from Tristan Miller. Tyran Kiss made it 3-2 on a goal assisted by Rylan Bruns.

But the Cubs quickly responded and put the game out of reach, as Medicine Hat scored twice more in the second period to take a 5-2 lead into the third. The Cubs scored again early in the third to go ahead 6-2.

Coaldale made it a game late with an Adam Kennedy powerplay goal, as Koden Lazar picked up the helper, and Bruns added an unassisted marker later in the period.

Nixon Ordway took the loss in net for Coaldale, as a puckstopper made 18 saves in the game.

Sunday was a different story, as Coaldale led 1-0 after 20 minutes before Cochrane tied the game at one early in the second. Brogan Booth made it 2-1 Copperheads and Drew Constant made it 3-1, as he converted on a pass from Bruns.

The Generals cut into the lead with a goal late in the second with only 1:05 left on the clock. But the late goal would not deter the Copperheads, as Coaldale closed out the game with two third period goals, as Constant scored his second of the day off a Miller feed, and Bruns added another on the powerplay, from Kennedy and Constant.

After a .500 weekend, Coaldale now sits at 12-19-5 in Heritage Junior Hockey League play, good for 29 points. That is good enough for fifth place in the Southern Division, as the Copperheads trail Strathmore by five points for fourth place.

Coaldale now prepares for another two-game weekend, as the Copperheads gear up for a Friday game in High River and a Saturday game at 8 p.m. at home against Okotoks.