Thanks to a flurry of goals, the Red Deer Optimist Chiefs are still undefeated at the Mac’s Midget AAA World Invitational Tournament.
Red Deer won an absolutely wild, back-and-forth affair, 7-6 over the Calgary Northstars Saturday to improve to 3-0 at the event. The three wins give them a stranglehold on pool 2 with one round-robin game to go Sunday.
Just a minute into the win Saturday, Kyle Wallace scored for Red Deer. The Northstars responded quickly with a pair of goals, before Sawyer Senio scored to tie the game. Brett Meerman notched the go-ahead tally late in the frame on the power play.
It was a goal scoring clinic tonight as @RDOptimstChiefs beat the @CNHAMAAANStars 7-6. Both teams traded goals all night. It was an intense game down here at the @MacsTournament. pic.twitter.com/U88oqipO93
— Dave Watling Photography (@Dave__Watling) December 30, 2018
Optimist Chiefs forward Cole Muir opened up a 4-2 lead just over five minutes into the second but the see-saw battle continued late in the frame when the Northstars tied the game with tallies a minute apart.
Meerman added another power-play goal to earn back the lead and Cade Mason also capitalized to extend the advantage. With only 34 seconds left in the period, Calgary scored to get within a goal.
Deegan Mofford buried on the power play just before the midway point of the third to make it 7-5, but again the Northstars fought back. Clarke Huxley converted at even strength shortly after the 10-minute mark of the period to get Calgary within a goal.
Despite a furious push late in the third, Calgary was unable to tie the game.
Mason was star of the game for Red Deer and Bretton Park made 10 saves in relief of Logan Breen who started the game in net. Both Meerman and Mason had four points in the contest.
Red Deer wraps up round-robin Sunday at 11:45 a.m. against the Notre Dame Hounds.
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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