The Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings entered Tuesday night's game against the Melville Millionaires with a record of 5-0-0-1 when entering the third period with the lead this season. The Millionaires, though, were intent on ending that streak heading into the third period Tuesday as they trailed 4-3. They would score three goals, including an empty-netter, en route to a 6-4 win at Crescent Point Place.
The Red Wings had taken an early lead in the game when Cade Meiklejohn scored his 11th of the season 6:20 into the first period. Brad Banach had the lone assist on the goal. Then, Logan Greenough notched his first SJHL goal with 10:23 to play in the opening frame to make it 2-0, with Blake Betson recording the helper.
The Millionaires would get on the board seconds later, though, as Liam Cox-Smith scored an unassisted goal with 9:46 to play in the period.
Melville would tie the game up in the first minute of the second when Brendan Olson scored 51 seconds in, but then the Red Wings answered with some special teams goals.
Jerome Maharaj would make it a 3-2 game when he scored on the power play at the 5:17 mark. Nick Kovacs and Brendan Hunchak had the assists on the tally. Jacob Visentini would then make it 4-2 with another power play goal 9:03 into the second. His eighth of the year was assisted by Tyler Teasdale.
The lead would be reduced to one with 1:26 left in the second when Olson notched his second of the game.
The Red Wings bench would then go down a player with 1:08 remaining in the period, as would the Millionaires when Jaxon Ruthven was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for a blow to the head after a hit on Cox-Smith. The Melville forward would also leave the game with an injury as a result of the contact.
The ensuing power play would carry over to the third, where Colby Ball evened the game up just 42 seconds in, setting up an intense final period between the two Viterra Division rivals. The Millionaires would through everything they had at Weyburn goalie Dazza Mitchell, and he would turn away nearly all of it, except for a sharp angled shot with 24.9 seconds left on the clock in regulation. The goal, scored by Jadon Iyogun, would stand as the game-winner.
Caden Drury added an empty net goal with 17 seconds to play to finish off the game.
With the win in regulation, the Millionaires are now tied with the Red Wings for first in the Viterra Division with 30 points. They technically hold the higher playoff seed, as they have a game in hand, and are at .500 on the season.
The Red Wings will now get a few days to shake the loss off before they welcome the La Ronge Ice Wolves to Crescent Point Place Friday night.