Shamrocks win west, start league final series Saturday

BY PAYNTER GRAHAM

Having disposed of the Hartney Blues in straight games in the West Division final, the Killarney Shamrocks will now meet the Carberry Plainsmen in the final of the Tiger Hills Hockey League. The final, featuring the best in the west versus the best of the east, gets underway this Saturday, March 18, here at the Shamrock Centre.

The Shamrocks swept the Hartney Blues 4-0 in the West final, while the Plainsmen defeated the Neepawa Farmers in five games in their best-of-seven semi-final East Division series.

Holding a 3-0 edge in games going into game four of the series last Friday in Hartney, the Shamrocks left little doubt as to the outcome as they were all over the Blues and they skated to a 10-0 victory to clinch the West Division of the THHL – and a date in the THHL final.

Scoring 25 seconds into the final game against the Blues, it was 4-0 Shamrocks after one period of play. In all intents and purposes, it was game over. Brayden Cuthbert had a five-point night to lead the Shamrock offense, while Reid Gow and Jesse Bernard had four point nights.

Brian Archibald got the shutout in the Shamrock cage.

Complete Shamrock scoring vs the Blues last Friday:

Brayden Cuthbert (Gow, Friesen)

Daniel Stagg (Ganske, Heinrichs)

Isaac Friesen (Gow, Cuthbert)

Aubrey Chapman (Bernard, Heinrichs)

Daniel Stagg (Anderson, Ganske)

Jesse Bernard (un-assisted)

Reid Gow (Cuthbert, Bernard)

Brayden Cuthbert (un-assisted)

Aubrey Chapman (Anderson, Gow)

Brayden Cuthbert (Friesen, Bernard)

From the Blue-Line: Seventeen penalties were handed out in the final Shamrocks-Blues game, 12 of them minors…Looking ahead to the next series, the Carberry Plainsmen, after a slow start, finished third in their division behind the Minnedosa Bombers and Neepawa Farmers…The only time the Shamrocks faced the Plainsmen this season resulted in a 11-3 Shamrock victory. But let’s not forget, that was before the Plainsmen got rolling, with some new faces brought in. THHL scoring leader Isaac Friesen, Daniel Stagg and Brayden Cuthbert all had four point games on that night…The Plainsmen are a high-powered offensive team with Zean Ziemer and Brock Sutherland leading the way. And don’t forget Dustin Fisher!…Looking at the playoff scoring race, Ziemer currently leads the way while Sutherland is second. As well, Michael Reykdal, Dylan Kelly and Brett Kitt are all in the top 10 in playoff scoring…The Shamrocks’ Reid Gow is third in playoff scoring with 23 points…Other Shamrocks in the “Top 20” in playoff scoring – Jesse Bernard, Ryan Howatt, Aubrey Chapman, Brayden Cithbert, and Bryce Lamb…Keep in mind that the Rocks have played but nine games thus far…Brian Archibald leads the goalies in the playoffs with a GAA of 2.13. Plainsmen goalie Brett Willows is sitting with a 3.53 GAA, while team-mate Brendon Reimer has a GAA of 3.89…With all the scoring power, don’t expect too many 1-0 games in this series…So first game of the much anticipated best-of-five league final goes here at the Don Paterson Arena at the Shamrock Centre this Saturday, with game two scheduled for next Wednesday in Carberry. Game three is slated to go here Friday, March 24, and games four and five (if necessary) going in Carberry on March 25 and here on Sunday, March 26…Catch the action!

ON THE OFFENCE – Daniel Stagg of the Shamrocks peppered the Hartney netminder again last Thursday night in game three, picking up two goals and adding an assist. Killarney swept the Blues the following night in Hartney, and now face the Carberry Plainsmen in the THHL final. Game one goes this Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. in the Shamrock Centre.

JAY STRUTH/KILLARNEY GUIDE