Yellowhead Chiefs update: Chiefs advance with double OT win

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Published on Thursday, March 2, 2017

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The Yellowhead Female Midget Chiefs and Eastman Selects played game five of their MFMHL quarter final series on Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Shoal Lake Communiplex before a large and loud crowd of supporters for both teams.

 The Chiefs continued their strong play from their game four win on Tuesday and dominated the early part of the game, narrowly missing opening the scoring several times. The Selects continued their hard working play and a deflected puck on a power play in the latter half of the first period gave the visitors a 1-0 lead. Despite continued pressure from the Chiefs, the score remained at 1-0 into the second period.

Yellowhead killed off two penalties early in the second and when they were on the power-play at the midway point of the period, several great scoring opportunities finally lead to the tying goal. Lainie Nichols carried the puck into the Eastman zone and got the puck to Morgan Ramsay whose shot was stopped. Karli Frederick was there to pick up the loose puck and slide it home, tying the game at 1-1. The two teams remained tied as the third period opened, with the Chiefs consistently controlling the play and firing 13 shots in the third on the Selects’ goal. It appeared that some luck was going to have to fall in the Chiefs’ favor. With just under nine minutes to go in the third, Karli Frederick and Cass Lyttle both had shots on goal with the puck in the crease on a scramble, Morgan Ramsay was there to tuck home the biscuit and put the Chiefs up by a goal. Yellowhead protected the lead and were working towards securing the win and the series when, in the final minute, a puck popped loose to an Eastman defenceman who fired a hard slap shot through traffic that beat Miranda Cook in the Chiefs goal to tie the game.

The first 10 minute overtime featured scoring chances for both teams, none better than two in close chances for Eastman midway through the period. Miranda Cook was able to get the heel of her skate on the first chance, sending the puck to the corner. A Selects forward recovered and drove the puck to the net and stuffed it under Cook, who managed to somehow keep the puck out the net. The Chiefs finished the first overtime with sustained pressure but couldn’t find that winning goal. The second overtime started with the hosts on the attack again. Rylee Gluska and Sadie Wood combined to get the puck to the net in the second minute of the overtime period and McKiya Mazur drove hard to the net, picking up the loose puck and stuffing it into the net, giving the Chiefs the win and the series over Eastman.

The quarter final win sets up another semi-final series with the Westman Wildcats. The Chiefs have eliminated the Wildcats in the last two seasons and will look to make it three in a row. The series began on Wednesday Mar. 1 in Hartney with game two on Friday Mar. 3 in Shoal Lake. 

Midget Chiefs take early series lead

The Yellowhead AAA Midget Chiefs’ playoff push is off to a strong start, winning the first two games against the Central Plains Capitals. Yellowhead picked up a pair of 3-2 victories, first in Portage la Prairie on Feb. 26, then back in Shoal Lake on Feb. 28.

In game one, Braden Gillies, Parker Johnson and Mackenzie Belinski scored for the Chiefs, while Reese Jones made 36 saves to pick up the win between the pipes.

A few nights later, the Chiefs collected another big win, off a 34 save game from Jones. A pair of goals from Ryan Heino and a single by Eric Lemoine powered Yellowhead to the two games to zero series advantage.

Geekie wins award

Noah Geekie of the Yellowhead Chiefs has won the Manitoba AAA Hockey League 2016/17 Skill and Sportsmanship Award. The honour is given annually to the player who best exemplifies a high level of skill, plays hard and still maintains a high level of sportsmanship.