The High River Flyers are no longer snakebitten at home against the Coaldale Copperheads.
After a battle of a game, the Flyers came out on top earning a 5-2 victory over the Copperheads and tying the series at 1-1.
A massive game from Flyers goaltender Davyn LaRocke and a timely goal from Flyers forward Joshua Fleck helped the Flyers earn a big win going back to Coaldale Saturday, Feb 15th.
The Flyers came out of the room ready to play, battling hard for every puck and skating hard to earn their chances.
An interference penalty from Sean Burns put the Flyers on the penalty kill just 6 minutes into the first period and gave the Copperheads a big chance to take an early lead.
After a few shots being turned aside by LaRocke, the Copperheads finally broke through and earned the first goal of the game.
Mason Sande at 12:55 would put the Snakes on the board and start the scoring.
The Flyers were down and needed a boost, after a few chops and some pushing and shoving Flyers forward Logan MacLean dropped the gloves with Copperheads forward Jayden Kostiuk and the two squared off.
After a few big punches from both guys, the two were separated and headed off to their respective dressing rooms, MacLean and Kostiuk earned themselves five and a game each for fighting.
With the bench fired up and the team down on the scoreboard, the Flyers went to work battling for zone control, a late period penalty for the Copperheads put the Flyers powerplay to work.
Wasting no time Brennan McPherson found the back of the net to even the score and send both teams to the dressing room tied at 1.
Before the teams would head off some extra pushing and shoving earned Kaden Booth and Jayden Bexte of the Copperheads and Sean Burns and Jake Snashall of the Flyers 2 minute minors, Burns and Bexte for unsportsmanlike and Snashall and Booth each for slashing.
The second period started just like the first, action on both ends with both teams fighting for every puck.
The Copperheads were given a chance on the powerplay after Brennan McPherson headed off on a double minor for cross-checking.
Copperheads forward Mason Sande got his second of the game on the back end of a four-minute penalty kill for the Flyers.
The Flyers answered right back on a 5-on-3 situation after a cross-checking and misconduct penalty helped the Flyers get a chance to get back into the game.
Jake Snashall scored the tying goal.
With the score all tied up, the Flyers and Copperheads headed to their dressing rooms for a quick flood before a huge third period.
The third period was a tug-of-war of sorts with the two teams trading blows back and forth.
After a massive hit from Jason Creighton onto Flyers forward Brennan McPherson, the title fight was set and the two had to settle the score.
A scrum at the net broke out after a nice kick save by LaRocke and McPherson saw his chance dropping the gloves with Creighton.
Big penalty killing from the Flyers shut down the Copperheads on two separate tries including a brief 5-on-3 for the visitors.
The Flyers would break away from the Snakes after some slick passing from McTighe and Sniher, Joshua Fleck got his chance to take the lead for the Flyers and did not fail to put the puck in the net
The Flyers were buzzing and didn't plan on slowing down, Michael McTighe grabbed an insurance goal on a nice breakaway feed from Ryan Kanten and Connor Taylor to take a two-goal lead at 4-2.
The Flyers would add an empty netter from Sniher to seal the deal and get the 5-2 victory.
Sniher had an open net and looked to pass towards his linemate Jake Snashall however with the defense rushing back he was forced to hammer in the last nail.
The Flyers ironic score ties the series at one game apiece and sends the Flyers back to Coaldale with momentum.
Flyers forward Michael McTighe says the team felt they could have beat Coaldale in game one and needed to bounce back.
"We knew we could have won that hockey game, today (Friday, Feb 14) we came in with the mindset that we had to win this game if we wanted to stay alive in this series. We came out, we worked hard, we executed our plan and they had no answer for us."
McTighe says he said some simple words to the dressing room after their loss to the to Copperheads on Thursday
"I said to the boys after our loss, "Flyers in Four" and I think the boys are living by that."
Flyers Captain Layne Sniher says the team is more than confident in their goalie Davyn LaRocke.
"We won't say it enough, he's our backbone, he's gonna continue to be that for the rest of playoffs. He's playing great, he's got some good confidence in himself right now and we got the trust in him that he's gonna stand on his head the rest of the day."
Stand on his head is the easiest way to describe LaRocke as he turned aside 26 of 28 shots in the Flyers victory.
The Flyers are back in Coaldale Saturday, Feb 15th for game three of their best of five series.
Final Score
High River Flyers - 5 (McPherson, Snashall, Fleck, McTighe, Sniher)
Coaldale Copperheads - 2 (Sande x 2)
Total Shots
High River Flyers - 12, 8, 11 = 31
Coaldale Copperheads - 4, 13, 11 = 28
Three Stars
Third Star - High River Flyers forward, Joshua Fleck (1 goal, game winner)
Second Star - High River Flyers forward, Layne Sniher (1 goal and 3 assists)
First Star - High River Flyers goaltender, Davyn LaRocke (26 saves on 28 shots)
Wed, May 15, 6:00 PM
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