Above: Jets’ forward Cody Laliberte gets one past Warriors’ backstop Aven Maxcy on a powerplay opportunity early in the first period. – Stephen Dafoe Photo
by Stephen Dafoe
The Morinville Jets kicked off their 2024-2025 regular season with an intense road matchup against the St. Albert Merchants on Friday, Sept. 20. The Jets fought hard but ultimately fell 5-4 in overtime.
St. Albert’s Hudson Ketsa opened the scoring at 15:46, but Morinville’s Cade Van Brabant tied the game just two minutes later, assisted by Beckett Perrott and Josh Konanz.
The Jets surged ahead in the second period with goals from Perrott and Konanz, but St. Albert responded with a short-handed goal from David Saunders and a late tally by Carter Will to knot the game at 3-3 heading into the third.
Owen Bourque’s power-play goal midway through the third gave the Merchants a 4-3 lead, but Ty Van Brabant scored the equalizer with just under five minutes left, sending the game to overtime.
In the extra frame, Carter Will scored his second of the night on the power play at 1:38, securing a 5-4 victory for the Merchants.
Home Ice victory
The Morinville Jets returned to home ice on Sunday, Sept. 22, to face the Beverly Warriors in their second game of the 2024-2025 season, securing a dominant 6-3 victory at the Morinville Ice Palace.
The Jets started strong, with Cody Laliberte opening the scoring at 14:22 on a power play, assisted by Graeme Hampton and Ashton Funk. Although the Warriors tied the game less than a minute later with a goal from Evan Nicholas, the Jets regained control with two more power-play goals. Ethan Dechamplain found the net at 11:06, followed by Laliberte’s second of the night at 7:40, giving the Jets a 3-1 lead by the end of the first.
The second period saw Beverly battle back to tie the game 3-3 with goals from Zion Fraser and Adam Demchuk. But Morinville quickly regained the lead with Isaac Kinsella’s goal at 7:20, followed by an unassisted effort from Graeme Hampton at 6:17, making it 5-3 heading into the third.
In the final period, Jamie Visser sealed the win with a power-play goal just 51 seconds in, assisted by Ashton Funk. The Jets closed the game with a decisive 6-3 victory.
The Jets have three games this week. They play the Fort Saskatchewan Hawks on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. in Rivière Qui Barre, follow that with a road game Friday to face the Leduc Coop Riggers and return to Morinville on Sunday at 6:45 p.m. to take on the Stony Plain Flyers.
Below is a gallery of shots from Sunday’s home-ice opener – Stephen Dafoe Photos
Jets’ defenseman Graeme Hampton holds off a group of Warriors battling for the puck in the first period of the Jets’ home opener on Sunday, Sept. 22. – Stephen Dafoe Photo
Graeme Hampton of the Jets goes down as he tries to pocket one late in the first period on Sunday, Sept. 22. – Stephen Dafoe Photo
Morinville Jets’ forward Ethan de Champlain attempts to get one past Warriors’ goalie Aven Maxcy. – Stephen Dafoe Photo
