Above: Merchants’ Defenceman Spence MacDonald (6) moves in to block Morinville Jet Ethan Dechamplain (23) in the first period of the Jets’ Mar. 10 home game. The Jets emerged with a 4-2 win, driving the best-of-five series to a fifth and deciding game. – Stephen Dafoe Photo
by Stephen Dafoe
A 4-2 victory over the St. Albert Merchants on Sunday night extends the CJHL semi-finals series to a fifth and deciding game on Thursday night in St. Albert.
The best-of-five series saw the Jets take the first game 4-2 on the road on Mar. 3 but lose the second game 5-2 at home on Mar. 5, bringing the series to 1-1.
Friday night’s road game to St. Albert was a 4-0 loss for the Jets in a game that saw the Merchants outshoot the Jets 45-23 over 60 minutes.
The Merchants led 1-0 after one and 2-0 after two, doubling that tally for a 4-0 win. Two of the four goals were powerplay goals. The Jets took 15 minutes in penalties to the Merchants’ 10.
With the series sitting 2-1 in St. Albert’s favour, it was all on the line for the Jets at home on Sunday, Mar. 10.
Things did not look good for the Jets Sunday at the packed-to-the-rafters Morinville Ice Gardens.
The Jets were down 2-0 after one, and neither side could ripple the mesh in the middle frame, leaving the Jets 20 minutes to keep their playoff chances happening.
The Jets narrowed St. Albert’s lead to just one at 18:47 in the third after Declan Dika pocketed the Jets’ first, assisted by Dominique Cyr and Jacob Klassen.
Seven minutes later, Cody Laliberte capitalized on a powerplay opportunity to even the score with 11 minutes and change left in the game.
With a man in the box, Jaime Visser grabbed an unassisted short-handed goal at 5:18 to pull the Jets ahead to 3-2, the Jets first lead of the game.
With 56 seconds left in the game, Ryan Rivard sunk one into an empty St. Albert net to drive the series to a fifth and deciding game.
That game will be held at the Jerome Iginla Arena in St. Albert on Thursday, March 14, at 8 p.m.
Morinville Jet (9) Graeme Hampton works to block a shot on net by Merchant Mateo Gallo on Mar. 10. – Stephen Dafoe Photo
St. Albert Merchant Mateo Gallo (8) and Morinville Jet Ryan Rivard (16) search for the puck in front of St. Albert’s net during the first period of the Mar. 10 playoff game. Rivard secured the Jets’ 4-2 win with an empty netter in the final minute of play. – Stephen Dafoe Photo
Above: Morinville Jet Ethan Dechamplain (23) and St. Albert Merchant Anwar Moukhaiber fight for the puck in the first period of the Jets’ Mar. 10 home game. The Jets emerged with a 4-2 win, driving the best-of-five series to a fifth and deciding game. – Stephen Dafoe Photo
