For the second year in a row the Slave Lake Winterhawks beat the Drayton Valley Wildcats to become champions of the North Central Hockey League. It happened on Saturday in Drayton Valley, with a 5 – 4 victory.
The Winterhawks won the best-of-five series three games to none, and now look forward to competing for the provincial ‘A’ championship in Grande Prairie the weekend after next.
“Everybody’s pretty pumped,” says coach Pat McGill. “You set goals, but it’s easier said than done.”
The ‘Hawks accomplished their league championship goal in the same manner as in their previous games, by pouring it on early and getting the goals they needed. They led 2 – 1 after one period and 5 – 2 after two – then weathered a Wildcats rally in the third.
Keith Sinclair and Brent Blachford scored in the first period – Blachford on the powerplay.
Brad McTavish got Slave Lake’s third goal and then came what McGill calls ‘the backbreaker’ (for Drayton Valley). Playing with the man advantage, Drayton Valley turned the puck over and a Slave Lake player fired it down the ice. A Wildcat player, attempting to intercept the puck, deflected it right to Ryan Dierker who had just stepped off the bench. He went in alone to score and make it 4 – 2. Blachford’s second, also shorthanded, made it a 5 – 2 game.
“In the third we slacked off a little bit,” says McGill.
Calvin Beauchamp was in goal again, and again did an excellent job, says the coach. With the score 5 – 4 and the Wildcats pressing with six skaters in the final minute of play, he stopped a point-blank chance that would have tied it.
“He’s been a workhorse for us in the playoffs,” McGill says.
The Winterhawks had two affiliated players - Kiel Ching and Shawn Gramlich - from the Jr. ‘B’ Wolves in the lineup, who did well when called upon. McGill says he expects to have three or four on the roster at the provincials for support, although he also expects all the regulars to be there.
The provincials start with a game against the Cold Lake Packers on Friday Mar, 31. Other teams in the tournament include Oyen, Spirit River, Grande Prairie and others. The Winterhawks are the defending champions.

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