 News Photo Darren Steinke - Medicine Hat Hockey Hounds forward Jaeger White takes a hack from Airdrie Xtreme defenceman Tristan Thompson during a bantam AAA match Saturday at the Moose Recreation Centre. Airdrie thumped Medicine Hat 9-2. |
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The bantam AAA Hockey Hounds had a reality check game Saturday.
The Hounds have led the Ram South Division of the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League basically from wire to wire this season.
Having played a tough Calgary Bronks team to a 3-3 tie on home ice Friday night, they hosted the Airdrie Xtreme at the Moose Recreation Centre ÑÊand were wiped 9-2.
"They came ready to battle," said first-year bantam player Jaeger White. "We didn't come in with the same push they had, and they got a good start.
"We didn't have push back, and they ran away with it."
In the scheme of the regular season standings, the Xtreme victory likely won't change things too much. The Hounds still lead the Ram South Division with a 14-9-7 mark to sit six points up on the second place Xtreme, who are 12-13-5. Both teams have three games remaining on their respective regular season schedules.
White was in on both Medicine Hat goals recording a goal and an assist. He has had a stellar season leading the Hounds in scoring with 27 goals and 22 assists in 29 games.
The Hounds don't have long to dwell on the setback, because they travel to Lethbridge on Wednesday to face the Val Matteotti Golden Hawks. White believes his team has to move forward from the drubbing to the Xtreme as quickly as possible.
"It is a tough loss for sure, especially since this would be a good match to get ready for playoffs," said White. "It is disappointing.
"We are just going to have to regroup from it and get back at it Wednesday against Lethbridge."
The Xtreme led 5-2 after the first period Saturday, and they expanded their lead to 8-2 heading into the second intermission.
Chad Harrison had a hat trick for Airdrie, while Ryan Barrow, Austin Cameron and Kris LeClair all had two-goal nights.
Kustis Chapman turned away two of four shots starting in goal for the Xtreme, and Ryan Ternes turned back all 20 shots he faced in relief.
Xavier Burghardt stopped 25 of 32 shots starting in goal for the Hounds. Associate player call up Kyler Komistek stopped seven of nine shots he faced playing about the final 13 minutes of the first.
Mitch Hallas had the Hounds other goal.
Hounds head coach Jason Bartram said you do see big swings on how players play at the bantam level due to the age of the players.
"They are 14-year-old kids," said Bartram. "One minute, they compete at a high, high level. The next minute, they don't."
Bartram said his coaching staff has to go back to practice and teach the players how to correct the mistakes they made and get them focused for the next game.
