Tofield may have taken Big Valley too easily after downing two of the BRHL’s top teams consecutively

By KERRY ANDERSON

What didn’t the Satellites do right against Daysland North Stars on Wednesday? Despite being outshot nearly two-to-one, Tofield was clearing their zone with ease, winning puck battles tenaciously, and pressuring Daysland with fast breakouts.

Satellites Captain Brian Tavaroli talks to his teammates about keeping up the hard work and pressure after they scored a late second period goal to move in front 5-3 on Daysland North Stars. Satellites held on for a 6-5 victory.

Jesse Van Dalfsen scored first for Tofield but Daysland came back and grabbed a 3-1 lead early in the second frame.

But then four unanswered Satellites goals put the home team up 5-3 after two periods.

Daysland scored early in the third period to get the game close again, but Chris Findlay got loose with just over five minutes remaining to stretch the lead to 6-4. North Stars got close scoring with 57 seconds left but couldn’t further penetrate a solid Tofield defensive effort, led by very solid goaltending by Jereme Thom.

Jesse Van Dalfsen (3g 1a) and Brett Holmberg (1g 3a) led Tofield in scoring. Findlay got a goal and two assists; Chad Urshel an assist; Mathieu Tremblay a goal; Shayne Carlson and Fraser Regan an assist each.

On Friday evening, Satellites travelled to Sedgewick to hand the Sabres only its fourth loss of the year 6-5 in OT, revenging a loss by the exact same score in OT earlier in the season.

The game was a total seesaw from the drop of the puck. Tofield had to take the lead five different times in the contest before finally gaining the win.

Findlay, Van Dalfsen and Holmberg again had strong games each collecting four points. It was Van Dalfsen’s second straight hat-trick. Also scoring: Chris Stetsko, 1a; Reid Fraser, 1 a; Dean Campbell, 1g.

Randy Moon played a strong game for Tofield stopping 32 shots.

On Saturday in Tofield, Satellites were up 2-0 when they began a massive collapse that saw Big Valley Oil Kings pot eight of the next nine goals over merely 20 minutes.

More see the Jan. 10/12 issue of the Tofield Mercury