Grande Prairie Athletics goaltender and NPHL MVP Kiefer Smiley celebrates after defeating the Manning Comets in game three of their semi-final series on Thursday at the Coca-Cola Centre. (Photo Credit: Shane Clausing)

By Shane Clausing

NPHL

Athletics take game three over Manning; Smiley named NPHL MVP

Feb 21, 2020 | 1:01 PM

The Grande Prairie Athletics are two wins away from the NPHL finals after defeating the Manning Comets 6-2 at the Coca Cola Centre Thursday night.

The first period was dominated by the Athletics, as the play was in the Comets zone for a majority of the period.

Sam Bosek would open the scoring on the powerplay late in the period, chipping the puck past Comet goalie Braden Gamble to make it 1-0 Athletics after 20 minutes.

Gamble played strong in the opening frame, stopping 12 of 13 shots and making some high-quality saves.

In the opening minutes of the second, the Comets came out buzzing with speed.

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Taylor Paulovich snuck a weak shot on the goal line past Athletics goalie Kiefer Smiley to tie the game up at one less than three minutes into the frame.

Following the Paulovich goal, the Athletics would find their skating legs again and respond less than five minutes later.

Mark Stojan would riffle the puck glove side on Gamble and score to make it 2-1 Athletics.

Two minutes later, Lyndin Lewis would add another making it 3-1.

From that point on, the game was all Athletics. Both teams traded goals before the end of the second making it 4-2 after 40 minutes.

Once the third period started, the Athletics picked up right where they left off, adding two more goals, winning the game 6-2 and taking a 2-1 lead in the series.

Smiley stopped 25 shots on the night in the victory.

The A’s goaltender would also be given some league honours when he woke up Friday morning, as the league announced that Smiley had been named the NPHL’s league MVP and Top Goaltender.

Smiley posted an 8-2-0 record on the season, to go along side a 2.68 goals against average.

This is the first time in the history of the Athletics organization that a player has been given the MVP award.

Smiley and the Athletics look take a commanding 3-1 series lead Friday night when they travel to Manning for game four. The game gets underway at 8:30 p.m.