Hope Continues For Dragons
The Drumheller Dragons headed to Brooks on Friday night to continue their Inter Pipeline AJHL South Division Semi-final series with the Bandits.
The Dragons avoided elimination on Tuesday to force game five tonight. Trailing the Bandits in the series three games to one, the Dragons once again faced the situation, either win or go home. Drumheller was not ready to go home.
In the first, both teams battled hard to get the lead in the hockey game. Brooks had some good chances and three power plays, but Hunter Virostek made some fantastic saves to keep the Bandits off the board. Mitch Benson, Brooks goaltender, was tested in the first as well but did not let any get by him either. The period would end tied at 0-0 with the Bandits out shooting the Dragons 15-8.
Momentum started to move in the Dragons favour in the second. Drumheller had some good pressure and Brooks started to get frustrated. The Bandits took five penalties in the period. The key penalty was on a face off when Brooks took way too long to set up for the draw. They were penalized for delay of game and it turned out to be costly. Seven seconds into the power play, the Dragons opened the scoring. Brady Risk scored his fourth of the post season from Carson Kurylo. The second would end with the Dragons in the lead 1-0. It was the first lead the Dragons had in Brooks in this series.
In the third, both teams gave up opportunities on the power play. Drumheller capitalized on the power play once again at 12:34 when Slater Dykema scored his fifth of the playoffs from Jordan Taupert and Troy Dudley to give the Dragons a two goal lead. A minute thirty later, Brooks scored their first of the game when Nic Hamre scored from Connor Jean and Will Garin. Brooks would pull their goaltender with just over a minute and a half left in the game. A Bandit player took a shot from the point, the puck went off a block by Kaden Hanas to Nate Keeley and he worked down the right side of the rink to score into the empty net. With that goal, it would make the final score 3-1 Dragons. With the win, Drumheller lives to fight another day.
Shots on Goal
Brooks – 40
Drumheller – 27
Power Play
Brooks – 0 for 7
Drumheller 2 for 8
Hardest Working Dragon – Kaden Hanas
Three Stars
Hunter Virostek (DRU)
Brady Risk (DRU)
Slater Dykema (DRU)
The series is now 3-2 in favour of the Bandits. Game six will go on Sunday at the Memorial Arena at 7:00p.m. Tickets are available for the game at the door or online on the Dragons website. If you cannot make it to the game, we will have the broadcast for you on your home of the Dragons 99.5 DrumFM with the Western GM Pregame Show starting at 6:45p.m. with Jason Blanke and Ron Bell.
Jason Blanke
Morning Show Host – 99.5 DRUM FM
Office: 403.823.9936
www.DrumhellerOnline.com