Copperheads earn three points

COALDALE CLUB LOSES ONE GAME IN A SHOOTOUT

The Coaldale Copperhead picked up three points to kick off their Heritage Junior Hockey League season over the weekend. The Copperheads downed the Medicine Hat Cubs 5-2 in their season and home opener Saturday night at the Coaldale Sportsplex, but settled for the single point in the rematch Sunday afternoon in Medicine Hat as the Cubs prevailed 5-4 in a shootout.

The win puts the Copperheads at 1-0-1 as the two teams complete their four-game series this weekend.

On Sunday in Medicine Hat, the Copperheads and Cubs battled through a scoreless three-on-three overtime before Levi Schlosser scored the lone goal in the shootout to give Medicine Hat the win.

Coaldale jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first period as Brogan Booth scored 46 seconds in and Thomas Johnson added another.

The Cubs netted a pair in the second to knot the score at 2-2 as Schlosser — on the power play — and Garin Butler scored, but Copperhead Michael McTighe handed the visitors a 3-2 lead.

But the Cubs pulled even before the second period was over when Schlosser added his second man-advantage goal of the game to make it 3-3 after 40 minutes.

Fletcher Aleman gave the Cubs their first lead on their third power-play goal of the afternoon six minutes into the third, but the Copperheads forced overtime when Cole Larocque knotted things at 4-4.

The Cubs out chanced the Copperheads in overtime, but the teams remained even and in the three-person shootout Schlosser was the only goal scorer to give Medicine Hat the extra point.

Booth and Larocque each added two helpers for a three-point night. Johnson had an assist for two points.

Copperheads goaltender Ethan Barrows made 26 saves in the shootout loss.

Dawson Savage earned the win in goal for Medicine Hat, making 41 saves.

In Saturday's home opener Cooper Hilworth scored for the Cubs in the first period.

Booth pulled the Copperheads even six minutes into the second and Mason Sande gave Coaldale a 2-1 lead on the power play, but Schlosser pulled Medicine Hat even before the second intermission to tie things at 2-2.

But a three-goal third period powered the Copperheads to victory as Larocque scored twice and Jason Creighton added another.

Booth added two assists for a three-point night, while Johnson had three assists.

Barrows kicked out 24 of 26 shots in the win. Logan Leroux made 22 saves for the Cubs in the loss.

The Copperheads and Cubs wrap up their four-game tilt this weekend, starting Friday in Medicine Hat at 7:30 p.m.

The rematch goes Saturday at 8:30 p.m. at the Coaldale Sportsplex.