CANORA - The U18 Canora Cobras won back-to-back home games on Dec. 16-17 versus the Cote Selects and the Esterhazy Flyers to improve their positioning in the Major Hockey League standings.
After a dominant win over the Selects on Saturday, the Cobras were in for a stiff challenge the next night against Esterhazy, who started the game only three points behind Canora in the standings.
The two teams were tied 2-2 headed into the second period, which turned out to be a minefield for the Cobras. The home team had to kill off six minor penalties, but did so without giving up a single goal. Cobras Coach Adam Vangen praised his penalty killers for their hard work.
“Our guys did an excellent job and held Esterhazy from scoring for 12 minutes in the second period,” said Vangen. “We practice the penalty kill and the boys came up big when they needed to. We plan to keep working on special teams, but hope to play more even strength hockey rather than playing shorthanded.”
In the final period, the Cobras took the lead on a goal by Bryker Smith of Sturgis. Shortly thereafter, Esterhazy was awarded a penalty shot and tied the game at 3-3. But the Cobras kept the pressure on, and goals by Linden Roebuck of Canora, Bracyn Konkel of Sturgis, and an empty netter off the stick of Smith stood up for a 6-3 Cobras victory.
The win leaves the Cobras with a record of six wins, four losses and two ties heading into the Christmas break. Vangen said the season has been going well for the team so far.
“We are sitting in fourth place overall in the league,” said Vangen. “The games we lost have been close and competitive, and for the most part could have gone either way.”
The Cobras started the season slowly, with just a tie and two losses in the first three games. But The team has made significant progress since then, according to Vangen.
“Our team is coming together. We have seen the boys improve individually but more importantly in how they play together. We have come back from some deficits and proven to ourselves that we can work together and win.”
Vangen said the Cobras are working their way into becoming a well-rounded team.
“We have a crew that doesn’t quit when we are down. We have seen that with a strong fore-check and back check, we can create opportunities for ourselves. These boys stay positive and give it their all, shift after shift.”
The Cobras are focused on continuing to improve and moving up the standings.
“We are working on passing and moving the puck better,” said Vangen. “We also work on getting more pucks on the opposition goal and defending our own goal.”
When asked about a highlight of the season so far, Vangen pointed to a 3-3 tie against the high-flying first place U18 Moosomin Rangers.
“We played Moosomin in Canora early in December. Moosomin has been undefeated so far this season. That tie helped our boys believe in themselves.”
After the Christmas break, the Cobras get back into action with home games against the Whitewood Elks on Jan. 5 and the Langenburg Warriors on Jan. 13.
“We have also entered a team for provincials. We are looking forward to what that will bring,” concluded Coach Vangen.
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