The Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings extended their point streak to 14 games, and their winning streak to six, as they beat the Melville Millionaires 4-3 Monday evening. The team did have to work for the win, though, and would end up delivering one of the most exciting games fans have seen this season.
The Millionaires would start the game with a pair of goals in the first period, with Caden Drury and Ryan Roethke scoring – Roethke's goal on the power play – to go up 2-0. Behind the proverbial 8-ball, the Red Wings would start to rally, outshooting the Millionaires in the second period and then turning things up in the third.
The comeback started 2:19 into the third period when the captain, Blake Betson, netted his fourth goal of the season. He would be assisted on the goal by Luke Dekay and Simon Martin. This would be followed up by a goal from Cyprus Smith-Davis at the 6:00 mark. His sixth of the year was assisted by Braigh LeGrandeur.
The scoring wasn’t done, though. Jerome Maharaj scored his third of the year, with Liam Fitzgerald and Martin assisting, to give Weyburn the 3-2 lead. Josh Karman then scored what would stand as the game-winner with 9:01 left on the clock in the third. His second of the campaign was assisted by Ethan Dekay and Jonah Bierd.
Melville would also get a little feisty with that goal being scored. Leo Jewitt would drop the gloves and go after Smith-Davis, who wasn’t a willing partner for a fight. As a result, Jewitt was given a game misconduct for fighting, a five-minute major for fighting, and a two-minute minor for instigating.
On the ensuing seven-minute power play, the Red Wings weren’t able to score but the Millionaires would pull within one with 1:12 remaining. Raiden Zacharias scored to make it 4-3.
The game also featured special jerseys for the Red Wings, honouring the Weyburn Legion. The jerseys were auctioned off during the game, with all of the proceeds going to the Weyburn Legion.
After the matinee game, the Red Wings will now get a shortened week of rest before they are back in action Friday. The Battlefords North Stars will be coming to town for a pair of games. The first game will be played Friday night at Crescent Point Place, and the second game Saturday.
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The Red Wings' success has been noticed nationally. In the latest edition of the CJHL Top 20 rankings, Weyburn is 13th – the highest-ranked SJHL team... The Red Wings will be without Wyatt LaCoste for three games. The forward was given a three-game suspension after the SJHL deemed his fight Saturday night with Chase Holt was a “staged fight”.