Coaldale Copperheads 3, High River Flyers 2 (SO) — Final
The Coaldale Copperheads outlasted the High River Flyers in a shootout, winning 3-2 on Saturday night at Bob Snodgrass Recreation Complex after 65 scoreless minutes of extra hockey couldn’t be avoided — regulation and overtime finished tied 2-2 despite a massive shot disparity in Coaldale’s favor.
High River opened the scoring just 1:22 into the game on Beck O’Neill’s goal, assisted by Lucas Hughes, and that 1-0 lead held until the second period, when Coaldale’s Lucas Alexander tied it at 12:49. Madyx Skrypnyk put the Copperheads ahead in the third at 14:30 (assisted by Brett Hudey), but High River answered on the power play with 1:53 left in regulation when Maddix Summerell scored, assisted by Seth Coderre, to force overtime at 2-2.
Neither team scored in a scoreless five-minute overtime, sending the game to a shootout. Coaldale converted twice — Ryan Holm and, on the deciding attempt, Cohen Richardson — while High River’s Nolan Peppler was the only Flyers shooter to beat the goaltender, giving Coaldale the 3-2 win.
The shot totals were lopsided all game: Coaldale out-shot High River 62-19, including a 19-2 edge in the second period alone. High River’s Erich Baxter was the difference in regulation and OT, stopping 60 of 62 shots faced (55 of 57 in regulation/OT before a mid-third goalie swap, then 5 of 5 in relief) before losing the shootout. Coaldale’s Brylin Noble made 17 saves on 19 shots.