It’s been a busy two weeks for the various Raptor teams. The teams had a hard schedule and many are poised to make some serious headway into their respective playoffs.
The DMHA Raptors have been dominating their tier. Against Chestermere on January 14 they won by a lopsided 14-2 and 9-3 the next day against a strong Siksika team. The wins ensure they are first in their tier.
The Canalta Novice Raptors played on the road against Cochrane on January 15. The Canalta Raptors got the lead early but Cochrane managed to tie the game up by the end. The MacDonald’s Novice Raptors had a rough weekend on January 14 and 15, losing both of their games.
The Novice teams hosted a tournament this past weekend. For more information, see the January 25 edition of The Drumheller Mail.
The Yavis Atom Raptors have had some tough luck as of late, losing against High River on January 14 and tieing Indus on January 15. The game against Indus was especially heartbreaking. A potential game winning goal for the Raptors in the dying seconds was declared void, because the net had been knocked free.
The Encana Atom Raptors had a huge weekend two weeks ago. On January 14 the team played Carstairs and handed them their first loss of the season. The next day the team tied a challenging Nanton team, who are currently one of the top teams in the league.
“It was a really good and important weekend. We beat the team that hadn’t been beaten,” said head coach Jason Ewing.
The win and tie sets up the Encana Raptors for a good spot in the playoffs, especially with an easier schedule ahead.
The Hi-Way 9 Pee Wee Raptors participated in a tournament in Standard on January 14 to 15. After fighting their way to the finals, they finished in second place.
The NGC Pee Wee Raptors are having a good season this year. This past weekend the team participated in a tournament in Medicine Hat and finished in first place.
The NGC Pee Wee’s are off to a good start in provincials, winning 3-2 on January 24 over Indus. It was a close game, tied 0-0 at the start of the third period.
“We’ve lost to these guys previously in league play, so this was a good boost for the team,” said Manager Christy Telford.
The NGC Pee Wee’s had a rematch against Indus on January 26, but the results were not available at press time.
The Bertram Drilling/Sports Room Midget Raptors have been on fire since the new year began. The team has registered four wins and one loss in the five games they have played so far.
“We’ve been doing well, we’ve lost just one game since the new year. We’re starting to gel and come together,” said head coach Darren Toffan. “We look forward to the playoffs, and trying to win the kids a banner.”
The Boston Pizza/Western Chevrolet Bantam Raptors have continued to gain momentum since their tournament at the beginning of January. In the past two weeks the Bantam Raptors have racked up another four wins and a tie.
Provincials have just begun, with a few of the Raptors aiming to make an impact and hopefully come home as champions.
For more information about Drumheller Minor Hockey and the many Raptors visit www.drumhellerminorhockey.com.