These kids bounce, and they aren’t playing basketball.
The Highwood Raiders have lost just twice in Alberta Major Midget Female Hockey League (AMMFHL) playoffs so far, and both one-goal losses were immediately followed by series-clinching wins. The Raiders defeated the Red Deer Chiefs 6-0 in Red Deer March 15 to win the league’s South Division, a night after dropping a 4-3 overtime Game 3 loss in Airdrie. The Raiders won the series 3-1.
“The girls played great,” said Raiders head coach Jason Seper, a Cochranite coaching the Okotoks-based Raiders. “Out-shot them 37-9 and dominated them from the first faceoff.”
The Raiders almost didn’t need to go to Game 4 in the South final, storming back from a 3-0 third-period deficit to send the game to overtime in Airdrie. An opportunistic OT goal from behind the net gave the Chiefs new life, which ended quickly in Highwood’s 6-0 series-winner at Red Deer.
“A lot better than the Friday game,” coach Seper said of the March 15 series-winning tilt. “We weren’t that good (in Game 3) and only played 20 minutes. Tough lesson, but valuable.”
Kaylin Snodgrass and Cochrane’s Gabrielle Seper scored two goals each for Highwood in the series winner. Cochranite Hannah Olenyk and Kira Makuk scored Highwood’s other goals.
The Raiders now take on North-champion Edmonton Thunder in the league final series.
