Killarney Shamrocks finish first in the THHL
By PAYNTER GRAHAM
The Killarney Shamrocks have captured the 2016/17 pennant in the West Division of the Tiger Hills Hockey League. And with a 7-2 victory over the second place Boissevain Border Kings last Saturday in Boissevain, the Shamrocks assured themselves of a first place finish in the league as well.
Going into the game against the Border Kings, the Shamrocks only needed one point in their final three games, but the victory took away any doubts of their pennant-winning season going off the track. Back-to-back pennants for the Shamrocks!
The victory also assured the Shamrocks first place overall in the THHL, as the East Division leaders, the Neepawa Farmers, and the Minnedosa Bombers cannot match the 30-point total of the Shamrocks.
It was all-Shamrocks in the first period of their game with the Border Kings on Saturday as they opened up a 4-1 lead after the first frame. After Jesse Ramsden had opened the scoring at the 2:36 of the first period, Brayden Cuthbert, Reid Gow (with the eventual game winner) and Miles Jones all tallied on former Shamrock tender Mark Tripp.
After the Kings’ B.J. Avery had made it a 4-2 ball game early in the second period, the Shamrocks replied with markers from Andrew Lochhead, Bryce Lamb, and Brayden Cuthbert with his second of the game.
The third period was kitty-bar-the-door as the two teams played scoreless.
Jaegger Thomas was the only other Border King who could beat Shamrock tender Brian Archibald, as the Shamrocks out-shot the Border Kings 47-36.
Complete Shamrock scoring summary versus the Border Kings:
- Jesse Ramsden (Lochhead, Anderson)
- Brayden Cuthbert (C. Magwood, Friesen)
- Reid Gow (Bernard)
- Miles Jones (L. Magwood, Howarth)
- Andrew Lochhead (Howatt, Bernard)
- Bryce Lamb (Friesen, Cuthbert)
- Brayden Cuthbert (Lochhead, Archibald)
Standings in the West Division of the THHL:
Team W L OTL PTS
Killarney 15 0 0 30
Boissevain 12 4 0 24
Hartney 8 5 3 19
Souris 7 7 2 16
Deloraine 4 11 1 9
Melita 3 11 2 8
From the Blue-Line: With his two assists on Saturday, the Shamrocks Isaac Friesen is tied for top spot in scoring in the THHL with Jordan Geddes of the Gladstone Lakers with 42 points each. However, as I asked before the season began, I believe, I wonder how the league determines the scoring champion when teams in the east division play one more game than teams in the West Division…Maybe have one scoring champion from each division? Or points per game with ties?…High-scoring Shamrock goalie Brian Archibald recorded his fifth assist of the season. What, no goals?…The Shamrocks have two games left on their regular schedule before the playoffs, the rest of the West Division teams, one each…With playoffs looming, both the Shamrocks and Border Kings will have first round byes in the West Division playoffs…If the playoffs started tomorrow, Hartney would take on Melita, and Deloraine would tangle with Souris. But there are still games to be played which could affect the final finish…Brayden Cuthbert has had an amazing season for the Shamrocks, as the high scoring winger has 37 point in but 10 games. He is d-y-n-a-m-i-t-e…Okay, final weekend of the regular season in the league…The Shamrocks wrap up their season this weekend with a game Friday at Pilot Mound, before the Neepawa Farmers make a visit here to the Shamrock Centre on Saturday night in what promises to be a good tilt. The Farmers are battling for top spot in the East Division…Catch the action!
LEADING THE WAY – Former THHL scoring champion Isaac Friesen rips home the go ahead goal against the Boissevain Border Kings in front of a packed Paterson Arena on December 23. Friesen leads the league again, tied with Jordan Geddes of the Gladstone Lakers, with 42 points.
JAY STRUTH/KILLARNEY GUIDE