Hockey / Cobras beat Spartans, 2-1, take series lead

Cobras beat Spartans, 2-1, take series lead

Date:  Source: Butte Cobras

Augusts Veidenbaums scored 2:53 into the third period and the Butte Cobras won their third straight game of the postseason, edging the Southern Oregon Spartans, 2-1, Friday night in Medford.

Veidenbaums’ goal snapped a 1-1 tie and pushed the Spartans to the brink of elimination in the best-of-three series.

The teams will go at it again on Saturday night with Southern Oregon needing a win to keep its season alive.

 

Jacob Rudloff gave the Cobras a 1-0 lead in the closing seconds of the first period but Chris Seto, who has been a thorn in Butte’s side all season, scored the equalizer early in the second.

Seto had 13 points in six games against the Cobras this season, with six of those coming on goals.

The Spartans, however, were without Cameron Seto. Cameron Seto, Chris’ brother, was serving a suspension.

 
 
 
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The bad blood between the two Northwest Division teams in the Western States Hockey League became evident midway through the final period when Chris Seto received a game misconduct (ejection) for spearing. Six penalties, including Seto’s, were handed out as a result of the ensuing scrum with three going to each team.

The trend continued 11 seconds later when four more penalties – two to each squad – were dished out.

The teams returned to action but only for 13 seconds. Butte’s Connor Wherrett and Southern Oregon’s Matej Valicek received penalties for fighting, with the Cobras Earl Webb also picking up a misconduct for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The extracurricular activity wasn’t all that surprising. The teams combined for 25 penalties – worth a combined 88 minutes – in a game earlier this month.

Eric Ahlberg was tested in front of the net but came through with flying colors. The Butte goalie stopped 37 of 38 shots to secure the win.