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Alberta edges Manitoba for first men’s hockey win

Feb 17, 2019 | 7:02 PM

Team Alberta’s men’s hockey team built up a huge lead then held on to beat Manitoba 6-5 in their second game at the 2019 Canada Winter Games at the Westerner Park Centrium.

Alberta came out of the gate firing looking to make up for their loss on Friday to Saskatchewan.

The home side opened the scoring 3:17 into the first on a two-man advantage when Corson Ceulemans found the back of the net for his first of the tournament.

Alberta kept their foot on the gas for the rest of the period with goals from Colton Dach, Tyson Laventure, Brett Hyland, and Kai Uchacz, taking a commanding 5-1 lead into the first intermission. 

Red Deer Rebels prospect Jayden Grubbe also picked up an assist in the first period scoring frenzy. 

In the second, Hyland fed Dylan Guenther and Alberta found themselves up 6-1. Then Alberta took their foot off the gas a bit and Manitoba scored a quick pair to draw within three heading into the third. 

In the final frame, Manitoba would score again at the 2:17 mark, and while on the powerplay, Dawson Pasternak springing Conner Roulette on a breakaway to make it 6-4.

With 3:11 left in the third, again on the powerplay, Hudson Thornton found twine and drew Manitoba to within one, but that’s as close as they would get and Alberta clung to a 6-5 lead as time expired.

With the win, Alberta improves to 1-1 on the tournament and sits atop Group B with four points. BC and Manitoba have three each, and Saskatchewan has two.

Team Alberta is back in action again Monday night when they play British Columbia to close out group play. Puck drop from the Westerner Park Centrium is at 7:30 p.m.