The strongest team in the Heritage Junior Hockey League (HJHL) has gotten even stronger. As of Dec. 1, the first-place Airdrie Thunder (24-2) has acquired Tyler Petrie and Barrett Sheen for the remainder of the 2018-19 season. Petrie, who has nearly 100 games of Junior A experience in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), will add even more depth to the Thunder’s already star-studded offence. Head coach Derek Stamp said Petrie – an Airdrie native – paired well in his Thunder debut with HJHL scoring leader Jordan McConnell. Stamp added the two players knew each other already, having played together on the Calgary Canucks. “We’re going to see what that [partnership] looks like, going forward,” Stamp said. “He obviously has the talent to be playing at that higher level. He has the attention to detail and the focus on structure.” Another local player who will bolster Airdrie’s line up for the remainder of the season is Barrett Sheen. The 20-year-old joins the squad from the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers, but he’s played most of his junior career with teams in the Western Hockey League (WHL). From 2015 to 2017, he logged more than 150 games for the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Kootenay Ice and Moose Jaw Warriors. “He’s another player who has WHL and AJHL experience,” Stamp said. “Bringing those two guys in had our guys excited at practice, and it was nice it resulted in two really good games over the weekend.” The Thunder’s December didn’t start off on a positive note, as the team was handed its second loss of the 2018-19 season Dec. 1 by the Red Deer Vipers. Playing in Red Deer, the Thunder fell to the Vipers 5-4. “It was just one of those games,” Stamp said. “Five-on-five, I thought we were the better hockey team, but they took advantage on the power play and were able to generate some opportunities that resulted in goals.” Airdrie bounced back to record its 23rd and 24th wins of the season Dec. 7 and 8 against the Mountainview Colts and the Strathmore Wheatland Kings. With its new players at the helm, the Thunder defeated the Colts 7-3 at home and the Wheatland Kings 4-2 on the road. Sheen picked up two assists, while Petrie recorded two goals and an assist. Stamp said both performances were positive. “It was good to see our guys come in with a real sense of focus and attention to detail, which we hadn’t seen in a while in all three zones,” he said, adding the Thunder showed character in the victory over Strathmore. “It was tight, initially,” he said. “Jackson Little played in net and made a lot of key saves early, when we needed to keep things close. “We just stayed with it and our talent took over.” The Thunder returned to the ice Dec. 11 (after press time) to face the struggling Three Hills Thrashers. Airdrie’s Junior B team will conclude its pre-Christmas schedule with home games Dec. 14 and 21 against the Ponoka Stampeders and the Red Deer Vipers. Both games are set for 8 p.m. starts at the Ron Ebbesen Arena.
