Suns teams hunting for first wins of the season

Posted on October 31, 2024 by Vauxhall Advance

By Cole Parkinson
Vauxhall Advance

As October games wrapped up, a handful of Taber Golden Suns teams were looking for their first wins of the young Elite Alberta Hockey League (EAHL) season.

U11

After a 1-1 weekend to start the season, the U11 Golden Suns were back on the ice this weekend competing for four points. First up was a home date against the Wheatland Hawks. Nash Dyck got the party started for the Suns as the forward potted a goal on the powerplay — Blake Bryan collected the lone assist. With under five minutes to play, the visitors scored two quick goals to take a 2-1 lead into the middle frame.

The Hawks would add two more early in the period before Dyck scored his second of the game with Paxton Foote drawing the assist. Foote would score a goal seconds later to get Taber back within one. Bryan and Dacen Knoblich had the assists.

Down by one heading into the third, Dyck would collect the hat trick as he had an unassisted shorthanded marker under two minutes in the period. Unfortunately, the Hawks would score two in the third to take a 6-4 victory. Rem Jardine got the start in between the pipes for Taber and made 25 saves on 31 shots.

Sunday saw the team on the road as the Suns looked to finish 1-1 on the weekend. Standing in their way was the Airdrie Lightning. Taber jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead as Paxton Foote scored two straight while Maddex Howg also found the back of the net. Boone Depew and Heston Honess each had an assist. Before the end of the period was over, Airdrie would score three straight of their own as the two teams went into the second period tied. Airdrie would break the tie early in the second but Taber was quick to respond with another three straight goals. Nash Depew scored the first while Dyck answered back with two of his own. Foote would draw the assist on the first goal of the period for Taber. The Lightning hit the back of the net once more in the period as Taber took a 6-5 lead into the final frame. The third period was all Taber as they outscored Airdrie 8-1 and won the game 14-6. Dyck had two more goals and two assists, Foote and Justice Luther had a pair of goals each, Depew had a goal and three assists,  and Bryan had a single. Tove Morgan had the win in net with a 32-save performance.

As the calendar flips to November, the Suns have a weekend off before they resume with a two-game homestead on Nov. 9 and 10. First up is a 12:15 p.m. game against the Sylvan Lake Lakers. The following day, the Brooks Jr. Bandits are in town for a 10:30 a.m. puck drop.

U13

It’s been a tough start for the U13s as they were looking for their first win of the season this past weekend. On Saturday, the team was on the road as they took on the Okotoks Oilers. The Suns came out flying as Callaghan Tjeerdema got them on the board while Travis Jackson extended the lead to two. Declan Okell and Jackson had the assists on the first goal while Shawn Mrowil and Eli Robb were credited on the second. Okotoks would tie the game late in the period and the teams went into the second tied at two.

Jackson would break the tie with his fourth of the year minutes into the period as Wylie Campbell had the assist. Okell would extend Taber’s lead back to two a few minutes later as Robb had another assist. The Oilers would cut the lead to one but Taber clutched to a one-goal lead as the game shifted into the third period. The Oilers would tie the game just over two minutes into the period but Mrowil would retake the lead back for the Suns just over 10 minutes later. With the net empty, Boston Constant would seal the 6-4 victory for Taber as Jackson and Cooper Lutz had the assists. Nash Stober was the starting netminder and made 29 saves on 33 shots.

Looking to keep momentum moving forward, the Suns were back home on Sunday as they lined up against the Central Alberta Selects. Holden Emelson would score first for Taber as Jackson added another point with an assist. Despite the Selects tying the game up seconds later, the Suns kept battling and Tjeerdema scored his second of the weekend as Taber took a 2-1 lead into the middle frame.

The Selects would wind up tying the game up again early in the second but Okell would score a pair in the period as Taber took a two-goal lead. Constant had an assist on each goal while Robb notched another assist on the final goal of the period. Emelson would start the third period with another goal for Taber as Tjeerdema had another assist. A few seconds later, the Selects were back on the board and the lead was one once again. After over 10 minutes of no scoring, Lutz would seal the deal with just under two minutes left and the Suns won 6-3. Blaze Wenzel had the lone assist on the Suns’ sixth goal. Drew Tame made 23 saves on 26 shots in the Taber net.

The U13 Suns are right back to it this weekend for a two-game road trip. First up is a game against Red Deer on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. The weekend rounds out with a visit to Medicine Hat to take on the West Central Tigers. Puck drop is set for 1 p.m.

U15

It was a weekend to forget for the U15 Golden Suns as they took on the Wheatland Warriors on Saturday and the West Central Tigers on Sunday. Game one saw the Warriors score early and often as they cruised to a 10-1 victory. Hayden Eldridge had the lone Taber goal while Cason Flexhaug had the assist. Jack Lukas played two periods and made 32 saves on 38 shots while Cole Campbell played a period and made 28 saves on 32 shots. Sunday was no better for Taber unfortunately as they dropped to 0-9 with a 7-0 loss against the Tigers. Lukacs was back in the cage and made 38 saves on 45 shots.

The U15 Suns look to turn the season around starting this weekend with another pair of games. On Friday night, the SEAC Tigers are in town for an 8:15 p.m. puck drop. On Saturday, the Suns hit the road as they take on the Okotoks Oilers at 5:15 p.m.

U18

Likewise, for the U18s, it was a weekend that will be forgotten as the Suns dropped both games. First up was a matchup against the East Kootenay Avalanche that saw Taber lose on home ice 11-1. Tage Jensen had the Taber goal while Foster Weatherhead had the assist. Dakota Hurst got two periods and made 18 saves on 25 shots while Dagrin Bahr-Hemsin played a single period and made six saves on 10 shots. Saturday night saw the Suns take on the Okotoks Oilers at home. This time, the Oilers would shut out the Suns 6-0. Bahr-Hemsing was the starter and made 45 saves on 51 shots.

The U18s get a bit of a break to regroup and turn things around. The Suns have a two-game homestead starting on Nov. 8 when they take on the Olds Grizzlys at 8:15 p.m. On Nov. 12, the Medicine Hat Hounds are in Taber for a 3:30 p.m. puck drop.