By Stephen Dafoe
Morinville – In their sixth consecutive win, the Morinville Titans upset the Noralta Junior Hockey League’s top-ranked Edmonton Avalanche, a team that prior to coming up against the Titans Tuesday night had only been defeated once this season.
The Titans, with a fresh 9-4 victory over the Millet Lightning Sunday afternoon, defeated the thought-to-be unstoppable Avalanche 3-1, giving the Titans a one-point lead over the Avalanche, knocking them from the top slot in the league.
In Tuesday night’s contest, the Titans managed to keep the Avalanche off the board until late in the middle frame. Matthew Hutchings and Fraser MacDonald each picked up a goal in the first period, a tally that was added to by Matthew McRae midway through the second period.
Penalties, which the club had been concerned about going into the contest, were kept to a minimum on both sides of the rink. Morinville racked up 12 minutes during the game, compared to the Avalanche’s 10 minutes in the sin bin.
The contest was a much closer and harder fought battle than Sunday night’s road game to take on the Millet Lightning. In that contest, the Titans defeat over the 4-6-0 Lightning was largely built in the final frame. The Titans led the first period 3-2, ended the middle frame tied 3-3, but poured in on in the final 20 minutes to take the game 9-4.
The Titans take on the Beaumont Braves Sunday night. The Braves – currently 10-2-0 – are the only other team that has succeeded in defeating the Avalanche this season. Game time for the home-ice contest is 7 p.m. at the Ray McDonald Sports Centre.
