tranger things have happened, but it’s hard to remember when or where. After crushing the Jasper Wolves in the first two games of the North Central Hockey League final series, the Winterhawks went to Jasper on the weekend and lost both games.
On Sunday, Jasper beat the ‘Hawks 12 – 3. That followed an 8 – 7 Jasper victory on Saturday.
“The worst I’ve seen us play in three years,” says Coach Lorne Poitras, of Sunday’s debacle.
What was different?
“It was an energized building,” says Poitras. “There were 800-plus people. They were sure noisy.”
The ‘Hawks didn’t have the full squad, but 14 skaters is usually enough to get the job done.
“We weren’t sharp,” Poitras says. “We had our chances and just couldn’t capitalize. When they had their chances they took advantage of them.”
Sounds exactly the reverse of what happened here.
The ‘Hawks took more penalties than the Wolves in both games and paid for it. They gave up five powerplay goals in Saturday’s game, including the winner.
Scoring for Slave Lake on Saturday were Jason Green with three goals, Adam Ching, Kyle Hansen, Keith Sinclair and Brian Bouc hard. On Sunday it was Dwayne Vercholuk, Sinclair and Green.
Robert Gall played in goal for the Winterhawks on Saturday. Sheldon Ghostkeeper started Sunday’s game and Calvin Beauchamp finished it.
The series resumes in Slave Lake on Saturday, and probably back in Jasper on Sunday.
“We’re going to have to pull up our socks,” says Poitras. “It isn’t going to be easy.”

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