In their first game back from the Christmas break, the Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings came out with a statement game against their Highway 39 rivals, the Estevan Bruins. Playing at Affinity Place in Estevan, the Red Wings would get two goals in the first period, and then held on for a 3-0 victory - the second time the Wings have shut out the Bruins by that score this season.
"We obviously hadn't played yet, and so it was good to see the guys get involved physically right away, and shake the rest off," head coach Cody Mapes said after the game.
The game also had more of what fans are accustomed to in the rivalry games between these two clubs in the third period, with Weyburn's Drew Molde dropping the gloves with Bruin's rookie Carter Onrait. There was also a one-sided fight with just under five minutes to go, as Estevan's Bo Doxtator dropped the gloves for a fight, but Weyburn's Cyprus Smith-Davis wasn't a willing participant.
Frustrations from the Bruins boiled over at the end of the game when Owen Simmons was assessed a match penalty for a slash on Josh Karman.
Supplementary discipline is likely for both Doxtator and Simmons as a result of the penalties.
The rough stuff in the third period, which resulted in 65 minutes in penalties - 63 of them taken by the Bruins, overshadowed a shutout performance by Angelo Zol in the Weyburn goal. It was his third of the season, as he turned aside all 25 shots that he faced in the crease.
"He's been great for us all year, and I know he doesn't expect anything less of himself," Mapes commented on the goaltender and his performance.
Weyburn opened the scoring 5:39 into the game when Ethan Dekay scored his 19th of the season. He was assisted on the goal by Liam Fitzgerald and Luke Schraeder, with Schraeder picking up his first point as a Red Wing.
The opening goal was followed up with Jaxson Ruthven notching his 14th of the campaign. Cyprus Davis-Smith, making his return to the lineup after some time off with an injury, would get an assist on the goal. The other assist went to Jerome Maharaj, who leads the league in helpers so far this season.
Maharaj would then add a goal of his own in the third period. His short-handed goal with 1:24 on the clock was assisted by Simon Martin.
With the win, the Red Wings are five points back of the Yorkton Terriers for first place in the Viterra Division and are sitting in 4th place overall in the SJHL, four points back of the Flin Flon Bombers for 3rd.