Athletics Stake Early Lead to Victory

Chris Clegg
NPHL.com Writer

This one wasn’t even close, although many expected it to be.
The Grande Prairie Athletics defeated the Falher Pirates 7—3 in the Honey Capital Nov. 16 to win for the seventh time in nine games at Falher.
Braden Crone scored three goals – one in each period – while Tyrell Mason, Mac McNeil, Parker Sharp and Dennis Rix added singles to lead GP.
Daren Kramer, Brian Somers and Jay Anderson, playing in his first game of the season, scored for FAL.
GP led 2-0 in the first period and 2-1 after one. GP scored the lone goal of second period [Crone’s second of the game] and GP scored the first two goals of the third period to lead 5-1 before coasting to victory.
FAL, who were a dismal 0-for-7 on the power play, were playing on back-to-back nights over the well-rested GP club. To make matters worse, FAL surrendered a short-handed goal to Tyrell Mason.
Offence continues to be a problem for FAL at home vs GP. FAL has now scored only three goals or less in seven of the last nine home games vs GP.

Athletics 7 at Pirates 3
Friday, Nov. 16

First period
1. GP, Braden Crone 2 (Kelvin Nerstaeter) 4:24
2. GP, Tyrell Mason 1 (Braden Crone, Andrew Buote) 11:39 (sh)
3. FAL, Brian Sommers 6 (Pat Rowan, Dakota Mason) 10:30
Penalties: Brian Sommers FAL (slashing) 5:18, Jeff Chalifoux FAL (tripping) 8:01, Blake Clement GP (roughing) 8:33, Parker Sharp GP (slashing) 11:23.
Second period
4. GP, Braden Crone 3 (Andrew Buote, Tanner Labbe) 13:15
Penalties: Kiefer Smiley GP (roughing, served by Braden Crone) and Athletics’ bench minor (served by Tyrone Kipling) 2:36, Trevor Mazurek FAL (roughing) 14:08, Pirates’ bench penalty (coach Shawn Gervais, game misconduct) 18:42, Blake Clement GP (unsportsmanlike) 19:09.
Third period
5. GP, Mac McNeil 1 (Paul Larocque) 1:40
6. GP, Parker Sharp 1 (Sam Bosek, Paul Larocque) 6:22
7. FAL, Darren Kramer 7 (Pat Rowan) 16:36 (sh)
8. GP, Braden Crone 4 (unassisted) 18:17 (en)
9. FAL, Jay Anderson 1 (Rocky Collins, Neil Maisonneuve) 18:38
10. GP, Dennis Rix 2 (Blake Clement, Sam Bosek) 19:15
Penalties: Sam Bosek GP (interference) 9:08, Blake Clement GP (hooking) 7:22, Tyrell Mason GP (roughing, unsportsmanlike) and Trevor Mazurek FAL (spearing double minor, roughing) 15:19, Max McNeil GP (interference) 17:05.

Shots on goal:

Grande Prairie	14	17	16	-47
Falher 15 15 9 -39

Goaltenders: Athletics, Kiefen Smiley; Pirates, Dyson Loewen.
Power Plays: GP 0-4; FAL 0-7.
Penalties in Minutes: GP 20; FAL 22.