The Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings went into Friday's game in La Ronge against the Ice Wolves looking to break out of a funk after dropping two games in a row. The Ice Wolves, though, would score three goals in the second period - two on the power play - to beat Weyburn 4-2.
"We've got to start competing harder," said forward Matty Edwards, who scored the first goal of the game for the Red Wings in the second period. "It starts from the puck drop, first period, so if we have a better first period I think we'll be just all right."
Edwards' goal, his second of the season, came on the power play 4:58 into the second period after the two teams were scoreless after the first. The lone assist on the goal came from Josh Karman.
La Ronge responded just under three minutes later with a power play goal of their own when Grayden Perozni scored on the power play at 7:32. Then, the Ice Wolves took the lead with a goal from Taite Donkin at 12:20 of the frame. Hudson Cameron added another power play goal with less than one second left in the period to make it 3-1 La Ronge.
In the third period, neither team would do much until the final minute of play, when Lucas Schmid found the back of the net for his 9th of the season with 30 seconds remaining. Ethan Dekay was credited with the assist on the goal.
La Ronge's Owen Turner would put the game away, however, with an empty net goal 18 seconds later.
The Red Wings have now dropped three games in a row for the first time since they were playing out of Assiniboia in December. They will look to bounce out of the funk in a rematch with the Ice Wolves tonight as they finish up their northern road swing.
Catch all the action in tonight's game on Great Plains Ford Red Wing Radio Country 106.7. Dylan Fiessel will have the call starting with the pregame show at 7:15 p.m.