By Ryan Pilon

Pirates win game one of provincial series

Mar 11, 2011 | 5:51 AM

The Prince Albert Venice House Pirates beat the Saskatoon Maniacs 7-2 in the first game of the Provincial Bantam AA final.

The game was much closer than the scoreboard indicated.

The Pirates got off to a slow start, getting outshot by the Maniacs 12 to four in the first period. They were able to go into the first intermission with a 1-1 tie, thanks in large part to goalie Logan Morhart, who made some spectacular saves to keep the game close.

“Oh, he made some great saves,” said Pirates’ head coach Shawn Phaneuf.

“The thing about Logan, ever since the Warman series, to get to where we are now, he’s started to kind of upped his game, and he’s kind of seemed to settle in. He struggled a bit at the start of the year – I think he was second-guessing himself a lot… Logan’s definitely stepped-up his game, it’s really good to see.”

Court proceedings

'The impact of this trauma will echo for generations': court case surrounding La Ronge woman's death reaches conclusion

22h ago

Going Global

P.A.'s Zablocki named to Team Canada for U18 Women's World Championships

22h ago

Election 2024

Birch Hills staff won't share election decision

23h ago

The team that took to the ice in the second and third period was almost like a completely different Pirates’ team. They outshot the Maniacs in the second period, taking a 3-2 lead, before dismantling their opponents in the third, running away with a five-goal advantage.

“We just told them, you know, stick to the systems, stick to old-time hockey” said Phaneuf when asked what he told the players during the first intermission. “We got outworked, we don’t like getting outworked, we don’t like getting outshot. We just told them to stick to the systems, get pucks deep, win battles, make strong, simple plays, and we’d be successful, and they were.”

Lance Yaremchuk led the Pirates with two goals and an assist, and Bryton Sayers also had three points, a goal and two assists.

Dawson Leedahl and Erick Climenhaga responded with tallies for the Maniacs.

The Pirates will travel to Saskatoon for the next game, which will take place on Saturday at 8 p.m.

Even though Prince Albert holds a five-goal advantage in the two-game total goals series, Phaneuf said they can’t allow themselves to become complacent, because it could end up hurting them.

“It can hurt a team with that mindset, but I think these guys take a lot of pride in winning,” said Phaneuf. “We have a lot of guys that hate to lose, and I think the coaching staff is one of those, and we’ve tried to pound it into their heads that winning feels good.”

The winner of this series will represent Saskatchewan at the Western Bantam Championship.

rpilon@panow.com