CARLYLE — It has been a busy week of hockey in Carlyle, with many playoff and provincial games.
The U15 Carlyle Cougars had tough playoff games against Estevan. Both were close, but Estevan had the upper hand and eliminated the Cougars from the playoffs.
However, the U15 team remains a strong contender in the provincial playoffs. Facing the Highway 9 Predators from Canora, they secured a dominant 8-0 win in the first game.
Canora traveled to Carlyle on March 2 for a close, exciting match, but the Cougars prevailed with a 7-5 victory, advancing to round three of provincials.
They will now face Lumsden in the South Finals, promising more exciting hockey.
Dave East, head coach of the U15 team, said the first game will likely be the weekend of March 7, with the following game in Carlyle the next weekend, though no dates are set. The series will be a modified best-of-three.
The U18 Cougars also delivered thrilling hockey for their fans.
On Feb. 25, they played Radville in a league playoff game but fell short, losing 7-4. On Feb. 27, they met again, and this time Radville came up short, as the Cougars won 6-3.
March 3 will be the deciding game to determine which team moves on.
The U18 Cougars are also performing well in provincial playoffs, winning their first game against Lanigan 4-1 in an exciting matchup filled with great hockey.
On March 2, Lanigan traveled to Carlyle determined to force a third mini-game. The Pirates, facing elimination, controlled the first period with a 3-0 lead.
Finally, Nolan Ridell put one past Lanigan’s goaltender, but the Pirates fought hard to stay alive, securing a 5-1 win and forcing a tiebreaker mini-game.
The Carlyle Sports Complex came alive as the sudden-death mini-game began. After 10 minutes of play, neither team had scored.
Then, the Cougars got a power play, and Draeton Morrissette blasted one past Lanigan’s goaltender, clinching the win and sending Carlyle to the South Provincial finals against the Lumsden Lions.
A fun fact: the Lions and Cougars played a U15 South Final series two years ago, and many of the same young players will meet again in this series.
As for the Senior Cougars, they faced two remarkably close losses against the Moosomin Rangers. They fell 7-5 in the first game in Moosomin and played again on March 1.
That game had the crowd on its feet as the intense battle was tied 5-5. Carlyle pulled their goalie, but Moosomin capitalized, sending the puck down the ice to make it 6-5, later sealing a 7-5 victory.
March 2 was a do-or-die game for the Cougars, and they were determined not to let Moosomin walk away easily.
After a scoreless first period, both teams came out strong. Moosomin aimed to end the series, while Carlyle fought to stay alive.
After another 20 minutes, Moosomin pulled ahead 2-1.
In the third period, the Cougars tightened their skates and, halfway through, took a 3-2 lead.
With 6:42 left in the period, Moosomin tied the game and shortly after, on a power play, pulled ahead.
Despite intense moments near the end, the Senior Cougars fell just short, losing 4-3, ending their season.
The team thanks their fans for their support and looks forward to seeing everyone back at the rink next year.
