Gladstone sweeps Neepawa, faces Deloraine in THHL final

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Published on Thursday, March 12, 2015

By Eoin Devereux

The Neepawa Banner

For the second straight year, the Gladstone Lakers have advanced the Tiger Hills Hockey League final. The Lakers were able to claim their spot in the championship with an impressive three game sweep of the Neepawa Farmers in their best-of-five eastern division final.

Gladstone was able to set a dominant tone early in the series, with a 10-2 victory in game one on Wednesday Mar. 4. Jesse Toth and Damon Reeves helped lead the way for the Lakers, with two goals and an assist each. Captain Blaine Jarvis also secured a three point game, with a single goal and two assists. Other scorers for the victors included Landon Thomson with two goals and singles from Arin Rintoul, Richard Henderson and Tanner Waldvogel. Cam Tibbett and Clarke Rempel contributed goals for the Farmers.

Game two would be played on Friday, Mar. 6 in Neepawa at the Yellowhead Arena and once again saw Gladstone dominate the scoresheet, this time by a 5-1 margin. Blaine Jarvis would score the first goal of the game just 54 seconds into the opening period. Jesse Toth tallied his third goal of the series about five minutes later to secure a 2-0 Lakers’ lead after 20 minutes.

In the second, Gladstone scored three goals to take a commanding 5-0 lead. Blaine Jarvis garnered his second goal of the evening, while Richard Henderson and Trey Evenson each added singles to pad the lead. The shutout bid for Gladstone goaltender Devon Ford was eventually dashed by Bryan White, as he lit the lamp for the Farmers with just over six and a half minutes remaining in the game.

Facing a win or go home situation in Gladstone on Sunday, Mar. 8, the Neepawa Farmers would come out strong in the first period, as Devon Speiss was able to solve keeper Devon Ford just 12 seconds into the game. Neepawa would score a second goal with 4:56 remaining in the opening frame, as Shane Levandosky scored his first goal of the series to give Neepawa a 2-0 lead. 

Giving up the second goal would shake Gladstone out of its early game listlessness, as just 53 seconds later, Devon Smith would score and cut the lead back to a single goal. Blaine Jarvis would tie things up before the end of the first on a power play, with assists from Landon Thomson and Evyi Hanneson.

In the second period, the Lakers would take control with three goals, as Tanner Waldvogel, Lyndon Soper and Landon Thomson each scored to make it 5-2 after 40 minutes. Blaine Jarvis would add another goal, his tenth of the playoff, mid-way through the third, as Gladstone finished the series sweep with a 6-2 win.

Lakers head coach Dale Evenson said the team’s overall depth really showed throughout every game. 

“There’s just so much depth this year for us. We have four really talented lines and some nights, we could ice five solid lines. There’s just so many good players attached to the club this season,” said Evenson. “Last year, I think we perhaps counted on one line a little too much and by the time we reached the final, we were worn down. This year, everyone is contributing timely goals or big plays that don’t make it on the scoresheet. We seem to be hitting our stride at just the right time.”

Gladstone, which lost in the 2013-14 THHL Championship series, now plays the Deloraine Royals, who defeated the Hartney Blues in the THHL western final three games to one. Evenson said it will pose a difficult challenge, but they're ready to face it.

"I think will be a tough one. Deloraine are the defending champions and have been playing very well as of late,” said Evenson.