Spiritwood knocks out Redwings despite fast start in Rosetown

By David McIver

The under-18 Rosetown Redwings ended their season with a 7-1 loss in Spiritwood on March 15. That eliminated them from the Hi-Way 14 league playoffs, after a 6-3 loss here the night before.

Rhett Cruse scored unassisted at the 6:58 mark of the first period on Sunday.

Alex Poirier, with three, Grayden Menke, with two, and Garret Price and Kaleb Gareau scored for the host Timberwolves.

In front of teammate Giovanni Rinaldi (3), Jayce Rieger, captain of the under-18 Redwings, celebrates his goal from Will Speir and Deklan Hawken on a rebound during Hi-Way 14 league playoff action against the Spiritwood Timberwolves in Rosetown on March 14. The goal gave the Redwings a 3-1 lead after one period, but the visitors won 6-3 and completed the series with a 7-1 victory in Spiritwood on March 15. Photo by David McIver

Here, Kobe Ptolemy got the Redwings on the scoreboard just 25 seconds into the game. Jayce Rieger and Deklan Hawken assisted. Not far inside the blue line, Boyd Anderson scored unassisted two minutes 20 seconds later. Rieger got a rebound and put the puck in at 9:18, with Will Speir assisting, to give the Redwings a 3-1 lead after the first period.

Poirier got a hat trick, while Menke, Brayden Morin and Gage Gardiner also scored for Spiritwood.

All four graduating Redwing forwards got a goal in the series, said head coach Fraser Cruse.

As well, the graduating goalies each played a game, with Grayden Cordes here and Malcolm Ledding in Spiritwood, said Cruse.

Their female counterparts, the U-18 Western Prairie Redwings, had to win on Saturday night in Saskatoon.

They had been playing the Saskatoon Comet Rush in the north final and had lost 2-1 in Elrose on Wednesday. Delaney Cruse scored from Ella Ryland in the first period. The Rush’s Alex Deutscher tied it in the third period and Maddison Drobot got the overtime winner.

The Redwings had beaten the Northwest Hawks in a semifinal series, winning by 2-1 scores here on March 15 and in Elrose on March 13 after a 2-1 loss in St. Walburg on March 11.

Shayla Aylward and Heimarie Strydom got their goals in Rosetown, with Bryn Florence replying for the Hawks. In Elrose, Ryann Erickson and Lindsey Campbell scored, as did Hawks player Kenra Letwinetz.

Taia Winny got the Redwing marker in St. Walburg before Brianna Schmunk tied it and Florence won it in overtime.

The U-13 Western Prairie Blaze lost the U-13 A North West Division final to the Delisle Bruins, getting shut out 4-0 in Delisle on Wednesday after a 7-1 loss in Elrose on March 16.

Laney Hargrave scored for the Blaze in Elrose from Aria Purcell and Roquet Sedgwick.

The Blaze had earlier beaten the Swift Current Colts Black and the Western Prairie Mohawks.