Robbie’s third-period winner sends Redwings to senior C provincial final

By David McIver

ROSETOWN — Mitchel Robbie scored the winner early in the third period as the Rosetown Redwings edged the Outlook Ice Hawks 5-4 Friday night to advance to the senior C provincial hockey championship.

Robbie’s unassisted goal at 6:14 of the third period broke a 4-4 tie and held up despite a heavy push from the home team. Outlook outshot Rosetown 10-0 over the remainder of the game but could not find the equalizer.

The Redwings had jumped out to a 4-0 lead early in the first period. Jared Jagow scored twice, while Jordy Johnston and Kyle Ireland added singles.

Outlook got on the board before the end of the period to trail 4-1 after 20 minutes.

The Ice Hawks added two goals in the second period to close the gap to 4-3 and then tied the game about five minutes into the third before Robbie restored the Rosetown lead.

Goaltender Noah Martens was a key factor for the visitors, stopping 51 shots. Jace Hunter made 24 saves for Outlook.

“I felt like for the most part we were keeping them to the outside, made my job easy,” said Martens. “In the third period, it got a little tiring.”

Redwings coach Curtis MacDonald credited his team for holding on under pressure late in the game.

“The guys came up big,” he said.

The victory sends Rosetown to the provincial final against the Shaunavon Badgers. Shaunavon will be the home team if the best-of-three championship series goes to a deciding third game.

MacDonald said he is looking forward to the matchup.

“I’m pretty excited,” he said.

The Badgers feature several well-known players, including former AAA Redwings J.J. and Luke Hunter as well as captain Dyson Stevenson.

Stevenson, a Shaunavon product, played eight seasons in the East Coast and International leagues before spending three seasons with the Glasgow Clan of the Elite Ice Hockey League.