Skip to content

Keystone Cup, Day 1: Pilots bounce back vs. Blackfalds

After stumbling out of the gate at the Keystone Cup, the host Abbotsford Pilots got their skates under them during their second game.
66487abbotsfordPilots-BradParker
Brad Parker of the Abbotsford Pilots digs in on a faceoff against Ryan Edwards of the Beaver Valley Nitehawks on Thursday at the Keystone Cup. The Pilots lost their opener 10-2 to Beaver Valley

After stumbling out of the gate at the Keystone Cup, the host Abbotsford Pilots got their skates under them during the second game of the tournament.

The Beaver Valley Nitehawks had humbled the Pilots 10-2 in the opening game of the Western Canadian junior B hockey championship on Thursday morning, but head coach Jim Cowden's squad responded in impressive fashion, thumping the Blackfalds Wranglers 5-1 in the evening at Abbotsford Recreation Centre.

The following is a recap of the rest of Thursday's round-robin action.

Blackfalds Wranglers 8, Saskatoon Quakers 0

In the tourney debut for both teams, the Alberta champs crushed their Saskatchewan counterparts. Bryce Boguski notched a hat trick, while Jared Guilbault (one goal, three assists) and Robin Carlson (one goal, two assists) also starred offensively. Kyle Baumgardner made 30 saves for the shutout.

Thunder Bay Northern Hawks 2, Selkirk Fishermen 1

Selkirk opened the scoring on a Trevor Paradoski strike early in the second period, but Thunder Bay got goals from Morgan McKay and Cale Leeson late in the frame and hung on for the win.

Beaver Valley Nitehawks 5, Saskatoon Quakers 1

Dallas Calvin continued his torrid start, scoring twice to pace the Nitehawks to their second win of the day. He's the top sniper at the Keystone Cup thus far with six goals – he scored four against the Pilots in the morning. Joel Bristow tallied the Quakers' first goal of the tourney.

STANDINGS

Beaver Valley Nitehawks, 2-0

Thunder Bay Northern Hawks, 1-0

Blackfalds Wranglers, 1-1

Abbotsford Pilots, 1-1

Selkirk Fishermen, 0-1

Saskatoon Quakers, 0-2

SCHEDULE

Friday, April 18

Saskatoon Quakers vs. Selkirk Fishermen, 9 a.m.

Abbotsford Pilots vs. Thunder Bay Northern Hawks, 11:45 a.m.

Blackfalds Wranglers vs. Beaver Valley Nitehawks, 2:30 p.m.

Thunder Bay Northern Hawks vs. Saskatoon Quakers, 5:15 p.m.

Abbotsford Pilots vs. Selkirk Fishermen, 8 p.m.

Saturday, April 19

Blackfalds Wranglers vs. Thunder Bay Northern Hawks, 9 a.m.

Beaver Valley Nitehawks vs. Selkirk Fishermen, 11:45 a.m.

Abbotsford Pilots vs. Saskatoon Quakers, 2:30 p.m.

Selkirk Fishermen vs. Blackfalds Wranglers, 5:15 p.m.

Thunder Bay Northern Hawks vs. Beaver Valley Nitehawks, 8 p.m.

Sunday, April 20

Bronze medal game, 10 a.m.

Gold medal game, 1 p.m.