CANORA - When the time comes to debate the most exciting playoff series in the history of the SEHL, there’s plenty of evidence that the best-of-five north division final between the Canora Cobras and the Swan Valley Axemen deserves to be at the top of that list.
The Cobras made the extremely unlike comeback from a 0-2 hole to take the final three games and win the series. Four of the five games in the series were decided by a single goal, with three of those requiring overtime to finally declare a winner.
“After the losses in the first two games of the series, we were really behind the 8-ball,” said Cobras Coach Darren Schwartz. “I can’t say enough about how the guys responded, especially when we gave up the late tying goal in Swan Valley in Game 4 and then came back to win in overtime. We kept taking it one game at a time. To win three in a row, that’s something else!”
Game 5
The Cobras came out with plenty of determination to start Game 5 in front of a packed house in Canora.
“We started really well, which is how we’ve been playing all year,” said Scwartz. “We took the play to them, but we found out once again that no lead is safe in this series.”
The Cobras built a 3-1 lead by the halfway point of the first period, but a late goal in the last two minutes pulled the visitors to within one by the first intermission.
“We let our guard down,” said Schwartz. “And good teams like Swan Valley capitalize when you do that.
“In the intermission I told them, ‘You’ve got to be ready all the time,’ and they really responded in the second period. We had to keep shooting; Swan Valley has a great goalie.”
The Cobras fired 27 shots at the Axemen net and scored the only goal of the period, the third of the game for Scott Mickoski.
“He really came to play, that was a huge goal. It boosted our morale. Everyone follows his lead. All our top players were there to play in Game 5.”
Schwartz said the physical play of the Cobras was key in Game 5 and throughout the series, especially in making the comeback possible.
“That’s what we have to do. As soon as we let up on the hitting and allow other teams to skate, we’re in trouble. We have to hit, that’s what wore Swan Valley down in Game 5.”
Even though the Cobras led 4-2 going into the third period, they started the final 20 minutes shorthanded and facing the potent Swan Valley power play.
“They ice a line of five players who have all played junior hockey,” said Schwartz. “They really know how to play with the man advantage.”
Sure enough, a Swan Valley power play goal by Josh Tripp, who had 19 points in the five-game series, cut the Cobras lead to 4-3.
“After that, we buckled down and really played,” Schwartz said. “In a way, it was better being up just one goal instead of two because we had no margin for error. The guys had to keep up their guard, and they did.”
Schwartz said he was especially pleased with how the Cobras handled the final few minutes of the third period with the Axemen pressing for the tying goal.
“We didn’t throw the puck into the middle of the ice. We kept ragging it along the wall and dumping it out of our zone.”
In addition to Mickoski’s hat trick, Austin Severson scored the other Cobras goal. Troy Zulyniak was the top playmaker with two assists. Single helpers came from Mathew Wilgosh and Vaughn Wilgosh of Canora, along with Skyler Hladun, Logan Foster and Jake Heerspink.
Schwartz said one of the keys to the Cobras winning the series was the play of Durban Hleboff in goal.
“He played so well in our comeback and gave us a chance to win. That’s why we have two really good goalies.”
Schwartz said there were a lot of ups and downs, and changes in momentum during the series, but he believes the overtime loss in Game 2 was the turning point.
“We had the lead, but let the reffing get to us. Even though we played well most of the game, we lost. The guys were really upset, and we didn’t lose again for the rest of the series.”
The Cobras give a lot of the credit for the big win in Game 5 to the fans, who were already getting fired up well before the start of the first period.
“That was incredible,” Schwartz said. “Even before the warmup, the rink was full and they were making noise. We’re getting amazing fan support right now, and it energizes the guys so much. It’s a big advantage for us, that’s what winning does.”
The Cobras now advance to the league final versus the Rocanville Tigers, where they have home ice advantage due to a regular season win over the Tigers.
“When we played them during the season in January, I told our guys, ‘This is your league final,’ and sure enough, here we are.”
“They’re a great hockey team. We have to be ready to play against Rocanville. If we aren’t, it’s going to be a short series.”
The league final gets underway in Canora on Friday, March 22, with Game 2 set for the following evening in Rocanville.
