聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 The Canora Peewee Cobras defeated Wapella in the semi-final series on March 8 to advance to the Major League finals. The Peewees are the only Canora minor hockey team left in the playoffs.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The final playoff series against Preeceville was to be scheduled this week.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In the first game of the semi-final series against Wapella, Canora travelled to Wapella to take on a team that had not been defeated this season.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 On March 6, it was a come-from-behind victory that was topped off with the go-ahead goal with just 20 seconds left in the game, said Kent Hembling, the coach. This game set the stage for a great Game 2 of the best-of-three series.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Playing before a hometown crowd on March 8, the Cobras came out determined to dominate the game, said Hembling. Just two minutes into the first period, Clay Sleeva scored Canora鈥檚 first goal.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淢ax Mydonick made an amazing pass to set him up,鈥� said the coach. 鈥淐lay would add another goal for us before the period came to an end.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In the second period, the Cobras got another early goal 鈥� this time from Grady Wolkowski who shot the puck into the Wapella zone. It bounced off the boards then off the Wapella goalie and into the net.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Just 20 seconds later, Wapella got on the board with its first goal of the game.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲apella out worked us in the second period, and if it hadn鈥檛 been for our goalie Tyler Palchewich, it could have been a different game,鈥� said Hembling. 鈥淭yler played awesome with lots of fabulous saves. At the end of the second period we had a 4-2 lead.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Going into the third period, 鈥渋t was all Cobras,鈥� said Hembling. The Cobras added three more goals for a 7-2 win.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淐lay Sleeva had a great game getting six of our seven goals,鈥� he said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淥ur team has been improving all year and we are hitting our stride right at the best time 鈥� the playoffs.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎ll the kids never quit on a game. When we get down by a goal or two, the kids always seem to find another gear and come right back. They have that 鈥榥ever say die鈥� attitude. That's something the coaching staff are really proud of with these kids.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The season has gone very well for the Cobras, losing only four games in the regular season to place the team fourth out of 15 teams, Hembling said. After losing the first game in the first round of playoffs, the Cobras did not lose again 鈥� recording four straight victories.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e will have our toughest challenge in the finals against Preeceville.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Preeceville Pats has only one loss this year, but it was the Cobras that beat them.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭hat's okay! We just beat a Wappella team that was undefeated in the year, and we just beat them in two straight games!鈥� Hembling stressed.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎ll in all, it has been a great year, and one I don't think any of the kids will forget.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The fan support has been awesome, especially going into the playoffs, he said. 鈥淚n our rink it's been so loud it gives the kids goosebumps. And when we go on the road, our fans are louder than the other teams鈥� fans so we are winning in the stands too.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Hembling said the team hopes that even more fans will be in the stands for the playoff finals.
