The Airdrie Xtreme’s four-game winning streak was snapped last weekend, as the Bantam AAA team dropped two home games to top-ranked opponents.
The 3-1 loss to the league-leading Calgary Bisons, Jan. 15, and the 5-4 loss to the Leduc Oil Kings, Jan. 16, still leaves Airdrie in top spot of the Ram South division.
But the defeats to two upper echelon teams are concerning, as the Xtreme rapidly approaches the playoffs next month, head coach Terry Keogh said.
“They were two very good hockey games against two very strong opponents, but unfortunately the results didn’t go the way we wanted them to,” he said. “I’m very pleased with our play even though we ended up on the short end of the score. We competed hard for two games and if we can convert on some power play opportunities and some of our scoring chances, we’re going to be in pretty good position as we head into the playoffs.”
Ryan Zeniuk had Airdrie’s lone goal, unassisted, during the first period of the loss to Bisons. Netminder Christian Fitzgerald made 23 saves.
Tyler Wong had three goals and an assist, bringing his season points total to 70, good for third in the AMBHL, during the loss to Leduc. Mackenzie Bauer added a goal and two assists, while captain Colby Chartier had three helpers. Netminder Malcolm Walilko made 21 saves.
The Oil Kings scored five times in the first period of Saturday’s game, leaving the Xtreme searching for answers. But the Airdrie club added two of its own late in the period, then rallied to bring the game within one in the final frame.
“They were two pretty evenly matched teams,” Keogh said. “The first period was up and down, but we created enough good scoring opportunities in the second and the third to win. We just couldn’t finish. It was one of those games that whoever was going to end up with a break,, was going to end up winning the hockey game.”
Keogh said the Xtreme will have to play better against the top-end teams and will use the weekend as a learning experience.
“When you play a couple of teams of the calibre we played this week, if you make a couple of mistakes, which we did, they will capitalize on them,” he said. “We didn’t do anything fundamentally wrong, we’ve just got to stay focused and not make those errors. It’s just a matter of tweaking a few things and perfecting it.”
