"It sounded like there were 2,000 people here screaming in overtime, especially anytime we get a good chance, anytime I make a save... Just electric. We love it. We feed on it. It helps."
Those were the thoughts of Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings netminder Dazza Mitchell Wednesday night as he made 25 saves en route to a 4-3 overtime win over the Humboldt Broncos. The win tied up the best-of-seven quarterfinal series between the two clubs at 2-2 as the series shifts back to Humboldt for game five Friday night.
While Mitchell gave credit to the fans for helping them to the victory, the fans were giving their kudos to Nick Kovacs. The veteran blueliner scored a pair of goals in the win, including the winner in overtime with 36 seconds left in the first OT period.
The game, like game three Tuesday night, was a back-and-forth affair with the Red Wings and Broncos exchanging the lead numerous times. It would be the Broncos who did score first, early in the opening period. Matthew Van Blaricom got the game started with a goal just 37 seconds in. The goal, however, seemed to spark the Red Wings more than the Broncos. Weyburn would start to pick up momentum and threw everything they had at Broncos goalie Benjamin Motew. Weyburn would finish the period with 20 shots on goal, and one of those would find the back of the net.
Liam Fitzgerald scored his third of the playoffs at the 8:47 mark to tie the game 1-1. Matthew Hodson and Max Monette had the assists on the goal. Weyburn would then get their first lead of the game 3:10 into the second period. Nick Kovacs scored his second of the playoffs on the power play, assisted by Jerome Maharaj, and Weyburn would be up 2-1.
Humboldt evened things up shortly after that, though, when Ben Costantino got a shot past Mitchell. This was followed up by Matthew Van Blaricom's second of the night, and Humboldt was up 3-2 with 8:55 left on the clock in the second.
Jaxson Ruthven would be the one to tie things up for the Red Wings, as he scored on the power play with 5:42 remaining in the middle period. He was assisted by Colin Doherty and Tyler Teasdale.
Neither side would score in the third, but not for a lack of trying. Weyburn continued to pepper Motew whenever they could, and the Broncos did the same to Mitchell, but neither would give. After 60 minutes, the game was still knotted 3-3, and overtime would be needed.
In the overtime period, it would be Kovacs' second goal of the game, assisted by Maharaj and Teasdale, that lifted the Red Wings to victory.
"The Broncos probably carried the play in overtime and had the better chances I think, but if you look at the game as a whole, we're pretty happy with how things went," said Red Wings head coach Cody Mapes after the game.
The power play for the Red Wings was also crucial to the victory. After finishing the regular season with the second-best power play in the league, the Red Wings were stymied in the first three games of the series, but the floodgates opened with two power play goals on the night and went 2-for-9.
Game five on Friday night will be played in Humboldt, and fans who don't make the trek will be able to listen to the call on Great Plains Ford Red Wings Radio Country 106.7. Nick Nielsen will have the call starting with the pregame show at 7:15, and the puck drops at 7:30. The series will then be back in Weyburn Sunday for game six at Crescent Point Place. The puck will drop on that game at 7:00 p.m.