President's Update - February 23rd, 2020

For the second year in a row the Lumsden Monarchs and the Raymore Rockets will meet in the Robert Schultz Cup HHL Final. The Monarchs swept the Bethune Bulldogs three games to none. The clinching game was played on Thursday evening and it was an excellent game. Torrey Lindsay scored three goals and had one assist to lead the Monarchs to a 4-3 double overtime win. This certainly was not easy for the Monarchs to score as Ryan Holfeld faced 69 shots in the Bethune net and was just outstanding. He kept his team in the game throughout and the Bulldogs, although short a few of their players, worked hard throughout this game against a strong offensive effort from the Monarchs. The first goal of the game came in the middle of the first period as Lindsay stole the puck while his team was on the penalty kill and went in alone and scored. The Bulldogs would score early in the second with Taylor Oneshenko scoring. The Bulldogs would take the lead mid way through the second frame on a goal from Russ Nielson. Brody Luhning would answer that goal for the Monarchs and then late in the second period Lindsay would score his second goal of the game and the Monarchs would lead 3-2 going into the third period and leading on the shot clock 40-12. In the third period the Bulldogs would get an early power play goal from Nolan Curts and this game was tied 3-3. Lumsden would go on to outshoot the Bulldogs 20-7 in the third period and this game would go to overtime. Nothing was decided in the first overtime period and just 51 seconds into the second overtime period Torrey Lindsay would score his third goal of the game to make the final 4-3 for the Monarchs. Will Hood would pick up the win in the Lumsden net stopping 20 shots. Ryan Holfeld would finish the evening stopping 65 of the 69 shots he faced. Long one the best goalies in our league, I do not think he has ever faced that many shots in an HHL game. Bethune was one for three on the power play and Lumsden was zero for two.

On Saturday evening the Raymore Rockets would punch their ticket to the final with a 9-6 victory over the Southey Marlins and complete the sweep in their semi-final. Damien Bentz would score twice, including a power play goal, and Tyrell Shulko and Josh Jordan would score in the first period as the Rockets took a 4-2 lead after one period. Pat Thompson-Gale scored both of the Southey first period goals. In the second period Michael Jordan and Tyrell Shulko would each score for the Rockets to put them up 6-2 before Derek Frater would score for the Marlins on the power play and it was 6-3 Rockets going into the third period. Colby Brandt would score on the power play in the third period to get the Marlins to within two but Tyler Bell would score to get the Rockets back up by three. Late in the period there were four goals scored in the last five minutes with Michael Jordan picking up his second goal of the evening and Damien Bentz completing his hat trick and a four point night. Mason Mullaney would score both of the Marlins final two goals and the final score was 9-6 Rockets. Dean Brothen faced 36 shots and picked up the win in the Raymore net. Shaun Fleming faced 33 shots in the Southey net. Raymore had six minor penalties and one misconduct and Southey had five minor penalties. 

The first game of the final will be on Sunday, March 1st in Raymore at 2:30 p.m.

Our League Awards will be announced this week. 

In Provincial play the Southey Marlins played the Balgonie Bison on Friday evening in Balgonie and lost 5-3 in game one of their Provincial 'A' series. Game two of this series will be in Southey on Saturday, February 29th at 8 p.m. Please come out and support our Marlins with a little help from their friends from Bethune! A win by the Marlins will force a game three on the following evening in Balgonie at 7:30 p.m. The Lumsden Monarchs defeated the Cabri Bulldogs 6-2 in Cabri Saturday evening and advanced to the Provincial 'A;' semi-final winning the series 2-0. They will play the winner of the Southey/Balgonie series.

Thank you for supporting senior hockey and for supporting the Highway Hockey League. Please follow us on twitter https://Twitter.com/HighwayHockey or the Pensky File   https://Twitter.com/GeraldT

If  @TheScore12 https://Twitter.com/TheScore12 has the game sheet on line we will direct you.

Please get out to a senior game near you,

 

Gerry