Written by: Scott Savard
High River, AB (December 13, 2025) – The High River Flyers second period comeback was cut short as the Wranglers took it 6-4 in Sylvan Lake.
Erich Baxter made the start in goal for the Flock and gave his team every chance to win the game as he was peppered with shots, making 48 saves on the road. Shane Ford only had to make 18 saves for the win as he tended the goal for the Wranglers.
The Wranglers took a 2-0 lead after the final buzzer in the first frame, outshooting the Flock 17-4. Parker Harrison opened the scoring just over two minutes into the game, and Avery Shadbolt added a power play marker to give the Wranglers a 2-0 lead.
Flyers assistant captain Lucas Highes cut the Wranglers’ lead in half with his ninth of the season near the middle of the second period. McCallum Bakken picked up his first point of the night with the primary assist, and Owen Campigotto would add the secondary assist. The Wranglers responded within three minutes to get their two-goal lead back with Shadbolt picking up his second of the game.
The Flyers would tie things up with a late-period push as Kieren McNaughton picked up his first-ever HJHL goal at the 18:02 mark, and then Bakken would pick up a shorthanded marker with one second left in the frame. Liam Canasa picked up the lone assist on McNaughton’s marker.
The Wranglers would put 20 shots on net and find the back of the net three times, with the Flyers only able to put one past Sylvan Lake in the final frame. Riley Yzerman and Aydden Shaw made it a 5-3 hockey game by the mid mark of the third period. The Flock’s assistant captain, Ethan Burgeson, answered back with a power play goal, but the Wranglers would get an empty net goal from Maddex Bignell. Dane Christensen and Hughes collected the assists on Burgeson’s goal.
The Flyers will be back at Bob Snodgrass Rec Plex Friday night when they host the Agra Risk Wheatland Kings and then head to Ponoka to meet the Stampeders for the first time this season to close out 2025.
