Crossroads staff
The West Central Bantam Wheat Kings had a chance to move up in league standings but lost 6-3 to the Regina Aces on Sunday in Dodsland, after being downed 6-2 by the Prince Albert Pirates in Kerrobert on Saturday.
They remain in 11th place in the North Division of the Saskatchewan AA Bantam Hockey League.
The peewee Wheat Kings have been idle. They don’t play again until the Feb. 9-10 weekend, when they visit Prince Albert and Warman.
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The bantam Wheat Kings are in Saskatoon this weekend, taking on the Generals on Saturday and the Maniacs on Sunday.
Against the Pirates in Dodsland, “the effort wasn’t quite there to have a chance in that game,” said Wheat Kings head coach Jason Kelly.
But on Sunday his team “played pretty well,” he said.
The Wheat Kings outshot the Aces 37-34 and led them 2-1 in the second period. They gave up a goal late in that period and then gave up another goal just as the buzzer sounded to end the period, “which was a tough one,” said Kelly.
In the third, the Aces got another to make it 4-2. But the Wheat Kings replied. The score stayed 4-3 until with about six minutes left, when they gave up a shorthanded goal. They gave up another goal late.
“It was a back-and-forth game that ended up being a three-goal game because of a couple of late goals,” said Kelly.
Karson Blanchette, Ethan Kelly and Kayden Ostrom scored Wheat King goals.
Ethan Hilbig assisted on two goals.
Carter Briltz scored four goals for Regina. Dawson Karol and Cade Kennedy also tallied.
Hunter Kannok-Leipert had three assists and Kennedy had two.
Blake Sittler made 28 saves in the West Central net.
At the other end, Noah Sharp turned back 34 Wheat King shots.
On Saturday, the Pirates led 2-0 and 4-1 by periods.
Leightin Partington and Owen Wagner scored for West Central.
Matthew Henry, Travis Swanson, Zach Svenson, Jonathan Tucker, Cole Tanchuk and Ryan Leptizki, who also had two assists, got Prince Albert goals.
Wheat King netminder Avery Kohlman made 25 saves.
Nicholas Jensen blocked 27 shots on the Pirate net.
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