Battle River Hockey League action starts

Game one of the Flagstaff’s BRHL 2012/13 season officially kicked off in Irma when the Aces hosted the Hardisty Stampeders on Saturday, Oct. 27.

A nice-sized crowd was in attendance for game one of what appears to be a great hockey season for the league and fans alike.

Stampeders new head coach, Blair MacNab, made his debut with many other new faces on the roster compared to last year.

The Aces were first on the scoreboard with a power play goal by Quinn Costa, assisted by Lyndon Clark. The period was a physical one with 11 infractions handed out, the majority for roughing. The score remained 1-0 at the end of the first.

The second period had some officiating controversy with a disallowed goal for Hardisty and what visiting fans saw as questionable line and penalty calls.

The Stampeders’ Dallas Erickson scored on a pass from Cam Dion to tie the game early in the second. The visitors then took the lead on a goal by Mike Griffith, assisted by Brad MacNab and Dustin VanHecke.

Irma’s Matt Tomlinson tied the score at two each, assisted by Matt Brown and Cody Woodward.

Two minutes later, Irma took the lead with the man advantage on a goal by Costa assisted by Jess Valleau.

Dion evened the score for Hardisty, assisted by Chevan Wilson, then late in the second, Wilson scored short-handed on a feed from Chad Marchand to put the visitors up by one after 40 minutes of play.

Read the rest of the story in the October 30, 2012 Edition of The Community Press, on newsstands now!