Eston Ramblers moving on in provincial play

By Jordan Parker

The Eston Ramblers blanked Birch Hill in two games to push forward in the SHA provincials.

With a 6-5 win on February 18 and a 5-4 overtime victory over the weekend, they’ve successfully made it to round two.

“Birch Hills is a team that plays hard and well. Defensively they don’t give up much, and we had to capitalize on our chances,” said Eston player Cam Oliphant.

“That first 6-5 game was intense. It was really back-and-forth. We realized how unfamiliar with that team we were. Making adjustments after learning about a team puts you in a good spot.”

PHOTO BY HELENKA BERNARD

In SVHL playoffs, the Ramblers pushed past the Loreburn 19ers to get to round two against the Kyle Elks.

“We played that first series well. We had a good game-plan, and we did a good job executing. It was nice to come out on top,” he said.

“We needed some confidence and to stick to our structure. It worked, and now we’ve had success. If we play our way and find our stride, good things happen.”

In Game One, the Kyle Elks downed the Ramblers 5-3 in Kyle’s rink. Eston goals included Cam Oliphant, Carter Berg, and Gavin Halter-Metcalf. Though it was 2-1 Kyle after the first, a flurry of three goals in the second left the score at 5-2. Halter-Metcalf’s lone marker in the third wasn’t enough.

“Kyle works hard. They take away their share of the ice. They don’t throw pucks through the middle. They get them low and grind it out. We need to bring full effort,” said Oliphant.

While the team awaits provincial dates for Round Three, their next SVHL playoff game against Kyle is Tuesday, February 28, 2023, in Eston.