PHOTO: Tom Grimsdale
Kohyn Pipke’s first BC Hockey League goal was saved for the final 92 seconds of regulation on Saturday night as the rookie defender had his left circle shot glanced off the shoulder of Bulldogs goaltender Olivier Kiraly that stood up as the game winning goal as the Saints collected their first road win of the 2025-26 season, defeating the Bulldogs by a 2-1 score in Blackfalds on Saturday night at the Eagle Builders Centre.
A low-scoring affair saw no goals throughout the first period, despite the Saints seeing themselves penalized six out of the first seven and a half minutes of the game. Goaltender Ryan De Kok stood tall for Spruce Grove, turning aside each of the nine shots he faced in the opening period including a breakaway stop on Declan Bowmaster in the early stages of play.
Ukrainian forward Nikita Ivanschenko got the scoring going in the game at 5:40 of the 2nd period, racing down the right wing and sending a shot over the glove side shoulder of De Kok to earn the first and only lead of the game for the Bulldogs.
The Saints had a counter around five minutes after the strike and it was Spencer Rheaume who collected his second goal in as many nights to get the game back to even. Tre Peck raced down the middle of the ice into the offensive zone and dropped a pass for James Richards, who spotted Rheaume in the left face-off circle as he blasted a one-time shot over the glove hand of Kiraly for his 2nd goal of the season and levelled the game at 1-1.
De Kok remained strong in the Saints net, turning aside 23 of the 24 shots thrown his way in his first win of the season after Pipke’s late 3rd period tally secured the win for Spruce Grove. Kiraly made 24 saves on 26 shots in his first BCHL action for the Bulldogs as the Saints finished their weekend on a victorious note.
Spruce Grove will return home on Friday, October 10th and play their last home game for three weeks as they welcome the Sherwood Park Crusaders to Thompson Family Arena. Puck drop is slated for 7:00 PM with tickets available for purchase online at tickets.sgsaints.ca.
