Photo credit - Pederson Photographic
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For the first time in more than two decades, the Parkland U18 Rangers are preparing for the second round of the Manitoba AAA U18 Hockey League playoffs.
The Rangers finished off the Yellowhead Chiefs on home ice at Credit Union Place in four games to advance in the playoffs for the first time since the 1996/97 season. In that year, Tim Evason scored the overtime winner as the Rangers downed the fifth place Winnipeg Warriors in three games.
Jayce Legaarden led Parkland in the first round with six points while Rylan Gibbs and Will Munro both had five. Brenden Birch-Hayden was tremendous in net, adding up a .942 save percentage to go along with a 2.03 goals-against average. The Rangers beat Yellowhead seven times this year including the regular season.
"It was an emotional win for our entire group, the guys were so pumped up and that includes our coaching staff," said Tyler Carefoot. "To be able to win a round with these guys, it's been very rewarding for our group."
Next up for Parkland is a daunting test as they'll go up against the Brandon Wheat Kings who finished in first place in the league. They went 33-4-3 and edged the Winnipeg Wild for first in the league. One of Brandon's losses came at the hands of Parkland as the Rangers downed them 6-4 in their final meeting of the season on February 4. Kyan Grouette and Will Munro led the way for Parkland in that game with two goals apiece while Carter Zalischuk and Jayce Legaarden each scored once.
"They're lethal on so many fronts, there's no doubt about it," offered Carefoot. "We have to have the mindset of why not us, that's our thought. They have a first-class powerplay so we need to be defensively aware at all times but we can draw off that win against them."
Game one of the series goes Sunday in Brandon at 1:30 p.m. The series will return to Dauphin next Friday at 7:30.
