Written by Gary Moskalyk
Kam River has made SIJHL history.
Daxton Lang scored with 31 seconds left in 3-on-3 overtime as the Fighting Walleye defeated the Trenton Golden Hawks 2-1 to open the Centennial Cup four-game round robin. It’s the SI’s first Centennial Cup win ever.
Carter Nailen laid out a crushing hit and scored the opening goal in a big first period, as the Walleye broke the ice at 10:31. Nailen’s point shot on a Kam River power play beat a heavily screened Brayden Spry for the ice breaker. Easton Debray and Cayden Adams assisted.
Amar Powar and Kaden Goodwin had good looks in the first frame and Nailen had another good chance with 30 seconds left. Kam River outshot Trenton 7-6 through twenty minutes.
The Golden Hawks hit their stride in a dominant second period. Taeo Artichuk rang one off the post, David Fournier did the same, and winning goaltender Ashton Sadauskas made a huge a huge pad save–all on the power play as Trenton throttled up on the first of two back-back-to-back power plays.
They scored on the second man advantage. Cooper Matthews beat Ashton Sadauskas glove side from the slot at 15:34 to tie the game. Artichuk and Corbin Roach collected the helpers. Trenton outshot Kam River 11-3 in the middle frame.
There were no goals but plenty of chances in the third.
Jett Mintenko went forehand to backhand in front of Spry eight minutes in to no avail. Candon O’Neil zinged one off the post for Trenton. Spry closed the pads on a Zach Baumann’s breakaway effort. Joey Brehmer managed to hit two posts with same shot with three minutes remaining in regulation. Final shots were six for Kam River and eight for Trenton.
The Walleye maintained possession for the first 96 seconds of the extra session. Mintenko blocked out a Roach grade A chance in overtime. With overtime winding down Mintenko sprung a wide open Lang at the Trenton blue line. Lang backhanded the game winner past Spry’s blocker side for the win.
Sadauskas stopped 25 of 26 shots. Spry shunted aside 15 of 17 in the loss.
Both power plays were 1-3.
Nailen won the cowboy hat for Kam River as player-of-the-game. Artichuk copped the honour for Trenton.
“Proud of these kids. Perseverance. We’re the underdogs, obviously. Everyone’s talking, talking. Before the game, we never did this, the league never did that. I don’t really care about that,” said Walleye head coach. “I know who we are, what we’re about. We defended so well. As I’ve said before, that’s how you’re going to have to win this. 1-0, 2-1 games, I love those games. That’s how you win championships.”
Game two is Sunday May 11th at 7:30 p.m. MDT versus the Grande Prairie Storm of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.