The Alexandria Bantam A hockey team is making thier first state appearance since 1999! They did it the hard way, but they managed to take the second seed spot for the West Region. They were on the winning side of the bracket til the chamionship game. But second place didn't send them to state, they had to play the winner of the consolation bracket to win the #2 spot from the West Region.
The weekend started out Friday afternoon when the Alexandria Cardinals went up against Warroad. Warroad scored first ending period one 0-1. The cardinals scored two goals in the second period, but Warroad also put two in the net. The Cards were down 3 to 1 at one point in the game, but ended the second period 2-3. In the third period the Bantam A's went down 4-2 but came back to tie up the game in the last three minutes. Alexandria killed 9 penalties in this game, Warroad 6. Two Alexandria players were injured and unable to play in Saturdays game.
The Warroad game went into a sudden-death ten minute overtime with no goal. In the last half of the ten minute overtime Alexnadria was down two players, skating 5 on 3 with Warroad, it seemed that this was a fatal mistake for the Cards. But the Bantams killed both penalties to finish the overtime scoreless. In the second overtime period Alexandria was once again skating a man short. When Alex went full strength a beautiful pass was made down ice to the player leaving the penalty box...he was completely alone on a breakaway goal and missed just wide of the net! He had enough time before the rest of the players got to the other end and was able to retrieve the puck and put it in with a wraparound goal for the win.
Alexandria then faced Detroit Lakes from thier own District 15. In District play they split games with DL during the regular season. Alex scored the first two goals, but DL soon tied it up with the next 2 goals. Period one ended in a 2-2 tie. The penalties went crazy in the second period, putting each team in the box 4 times a piece. Alex went up by one, DL answered back. Then the cardinals scored two shorthanded goals!! Second period ended 6-3 in the Bantams favor. DL had exhausted its scoring ability and the game ended 8 to 3!
This put Alexandria in the championship game against East Grand Forks Sunday morning. East Grand Forks was brutal and sat 12 penalties in the box. But Alexandria was not able to capitalize on those EGF mistakes. They lost the championship game 1-4. Three hours later they were on the ice again against Detroit Lakes.
The final game against DL proved to be a tougher challenge than the day before. With injuries and illness the team managed to keep the game scoreless thru the third period. Half way thru the third period the cardinals put in the first goal. The second goal game with one second left in the game in an empty net. The Cardinals won in a shutout 2-0.
The cardinals go to the state tournament in Coon Rapids on March 14-16. Their first game is against Delano Friday at 1:45 in the afternoon!
Congratulations to the AAHA Bantam A's on a great season so far. AAHA is proud of you all! Good Luck at state, let's show them what we got!
The Bantam A's are coached by Eric Nelson, Matt Strong and Jason Peterson.
Here is the link to the ROSTER - (click here to view the team)
The games will be scored live. So check this link to keep up with the progress of the Bantam A's.