A dominant 8-0 win over the Rimbey Rock and a come-from-behind 6-3 win over the Okotoks Bisons last weekend have propelled the Airdrie Thunder to a perfect 4W-0L start to the Heritage Junior B hockey season.
But what impressed head coach Darryl Einarson most was the way his team was able to win in vastly different ways.
“We got off to a great start on Friday night, with the four goals in the first period. I thought our guys kept their focus throughout the 60 minutes and kept (Rimbey) to no goals, which as a coach – you love that,” he said.
“The (Okotoks) game was pretty intense, with lots of penalties near the end, and I was really happy the way our guys came back.”
Netminder Logan Marlow earned the shutout during Airdrie’s 8-0 win over the Rock, while Jeff Gardner made 29 saves during the 6-3 win in Okotoks.
Einarson has been rotating starts between the two goalies and contends he is in an enviable position, rather than being in the middle of any potential goalie controversy.
“I’m confident putting both of them in there and feel like I have two No. 1 goalies. We’re very solid in that area,” he said.
“Gardiner is our No. 1 goalie from last year and he’s earned that in his starts again this year. But Logan has played very well and he will continue to get starts because he’s earned that,” he said.
“Marlow made some good saves when he had to and (Friday) was a great shutout for the rookie.”
The Thunder’s bench boss was also happy with the production of all four of his lines, allowing him to rest the top two lines more than usual during the third period of the Rimbey game.
“When the score is such that you’ve got it well in control, I like to play the third and fourth lines more – guys who don’t normally get as much ice time,” he said.
Andrew Bergmann had a hat trick, including another highlight-reel, toe-drag, backhand top-shelf goal, while Alex Diduch scored the game-winning goal 4:12 into the first period against the Rock. Doug Fraser, Alex Hustad, Trevor Schwass and Shane MacNeil had the other goals in the blowout win.
Bergmann added three more goals in Okotoks, bringing his league-leading season total to nine, as the Thunder overcame a 3-1 deficit to score five unanswered goals. Cache Dooleage, Diduch and Mark Rollo added the other three goals.
“(Bergmann) has three hat tricks in four games and is certainly on a roll. We seem to have found chemistry there with him and Diduch and Wallan, but it’s always nice to have scoring from all areas,” Einarson said.
“Our special teams were very good against Okotoks. We got into a lot of penalty trouble early in the game, and we killed them off.
“That’s an accomplishment in their barn for sure. The only game we’ve lost this year was in exhibition against them, so we wanted to get some revenge for that and set the tone for the rest of the season.”
The Airdrie Thunder will travel to Stettler to face the Lightning on Oct. 17, before returning home to host the Banff Academy Bears on Oct. 22 at the Ron Ebbesen Arena.
