A stellar week of play came to a disappointing end for Team Saskatchewan in male hockey at the Canada Winter Games in Red Deer on Friday night, as they dropped a 12-0 decision to host Alberta in the bronze medal game.
Team Sask – including Moose Jaw product and Prairie Hockey Academy standout Kirk Mullen – were in the thick of things through the first period, trailing only 1-0 while outshooting Alberta 11-6. That all changed in a five minute span in the second period, as Alberta scored five times from 14:23 to 9:38 to take a 6-0 lead. They didn’t stop there, adding another three goals before the period was over to lead 9-0 through two.
Moose Jaw Warriors prospect Brett Mirwald of Saskatoon got the start and played the first two periods, turning aside nine shots before giving way to Waldeck’s Justin Dueck for the third. Team Sask fired 39 shots total at Alberta.
The gold medal game saw Quebec’s Zachary L’Heureux score at 9:21 of overtime to take a 4-3 victory over Ontario.
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Saskatchewan finished the first half of the Canada Games with three medals, all coming on Thursday afternoon.
Regina’s Logan Pletz has the province’s lone gold after his win in the 12.5 kilometre individual male biathlon, while Saskatoon’s Alix Pierce won silver in the gymnastics floor competition and Martensville’s Rya Weibe third in gymnastics uneven bars.
Team Sask had sixth fourth place finishes, including Mullen and men’s hockey as well as Moose Jaw’s Marc-Andre Doyon in the long track speed skating team pursuit.
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The Games switch-over takes place Saturday, with Moose Jaw's contingent of figure skaters and curlers set to make their appearance in Red Deer.
The team of Skylar Ackerman, third Madison Johnson, second Chantel Hoag and lead Samantha McLaren will play their first contests on Sunday when they face the Northwest Territories in the morning draw and Nova Scotia in the evening.
Both Ryann Handley in Novice ladies and the Novice pairs team of Raine Eberl and Caidence Derenisky will skate their short programs on Tuesday and freeskate program on Thursday.
