Storm’s season ends with game six loss to Saints

Grande Prairie created a couple scoring chances with the extra man, but nothing would come of it. They were unable to score on their three powerplay attempts in the period.

The score remained 1-0 after 20 minutes.

In the second the Saints picked up right where they left off in the first, continuing to be the first on the puck and aggressive in the offensive zone.

Tanner Klassen tallied his second of the postseason to extend the Saints lead to 2-0 3:38 into the second frame.

The game continued to go in the Saints favor as the game reached the halfway point of the second.

Storm forward Jackson Wozniak would be ejected from the game at the midway point of the period after a dangerous hit from behind on Saints defenceman Ethan Edwards.

Edwards would skate off the ice, head into the dressing room, and return shortly after.

The Saints received a five-minute powerplay.

Coming into Tuesday night’s game the Saints powerplay was clicking at 47% for the series.

That powerplay would remain hot as Seth Fyten would extend the Saints lead to 3-0, adding his third of the playoffs 29 seconds into the lengthy man advantage.

Stanley Cooley added another one just after the powerplay expired extending the lead to 4-0, all but putting the game away.

The Storm were outshot 29-11 by the Saints after two periods.

The third period stayed scoreless, and nothing would transpire for the Storm.

Despite the 4-0 loss, Kaden Lane continued his stellar play in the playoffs turning away 43 out of 47 shots on the night. In total Lane stopped 174 of 185 shots in the four games he started.

The Saints will face the Whitecourt Wolverines in the second round of the AJHL playoffs.

As disappointing as the game was, Interim Head Coach Ryan Aasman says he’s proud of his group after a tough series.

“I thought we were a team that just couldn’t overcome the triple-overtime loss. I think we were emotionally drained, tired and a group that had been through a lot. I still think the boys tried their hardest and that’s all I could ask for at the end of the day, but nothing was in the tank. I thought we had a great series and I couldn’t be more proud of the kids.”

The Storm’s Assistant Captain Brody Dale and Devin Sutton both saw their junior careers come to an end on Tuesday. The two can’t return next year because of their age.

Dale spoke about the team’s fight that they showed in the series.

“I think a couple of days off before the playoffs we learned to lean on each other and just go out and play hockey. We learned a lot from that, and I think it worked out a bit in our favor in the series, obviously couldn’t close them off, but we gave a good effort.”

Coach Aasman says he doesn’t know what the future holds for him, but he wants to help create a strong culture here in Grande Prairie.

“I would love to be a part of this program moving forward, I think the future is extremely bright here in Grande Prairie with the young group of kids going through a rebuild kind of year like this. We’re a couple of pieces away from being a really solid team in the north and it would be fun to build a culture here,” said Aasman.

With the season now over, the Storm organization shifts their attention to the 2020-2021 season and it begins quickly, with spring camp beginning in April.

by Shane Clausing

Storm’s season ends with game six loss to Saints

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