The Swift Current Home Hardware Legionnaires put on an offensive clinic Sunday night as they steamrolled the Estevan Bears en route to their ninth win in their last 10 games.
Swift Current scored five times in the second period and twice in the first and third to run over the Bears 9-0 at the InnovationPlex in Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League action. Legionnaires forward Mason Fauser scored two goals and had two assists, defenceman Will Kirwan notched four assists, and goalie Cade Mitchell made 30 saves for his first career shutout.
"We got on the offence early and just kept pumping throughout the game," Fauser told Country 94.1 post-game. "I was lucky enough to pot a couple but it was a great team effort."
Swift Current Broncos 2024 first-round pick Carter Moen opened the scoring 6:19 into the game beating Brady Carr high on his blocker side from the slot after a nice pass by Trae Peterson finding him all alone. Peterson found the back of the net himself four minutes later shoveling a shot five-hole by Carr after Packet's pass bounced off the boards right onto his stick at the side of the net.
Forward Connor Rieger kicked off the scoring brigade in the second cashing in on a breakaway 1:09 into the frame with a nice move finishing on his backhand. Sam Kirwan scored 1:27 later chipping a tape-to-tape saucer pass home from Fauser on a 2-on-1 spelling the end of Carr's night. Olson made it 5-0 in favour of Swift Current less than three minutes later poking home a Hunter Wilm rebound shorthanded. Fauser then ripped home a pair of nearly identical power play goals past Cole Ivey from the top of the circle.
"I was just trying to get the shots off quick and I saw high (was open)," he said. "Just saw the spot and hit it."
Swift Current continued adding to the lopsided contest in the third as Moen and Kirwan both scored their second goals in the game completing the 9-0 rout.
Mitchell is now 6-1 on the season with a 2.97 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage. The 15-year-old Gull Lake netminder said he wouldn't allow his mind to think of the word shutout as the game progressed and it became closer to reality.
"I'm absolutely pumped, I've been thinking about (my first shutout) it since I started playing here," Mitchell told Country 94.1 post-game.
The 9-2 Legionnaires will dawn their special green jerseys Monday as they host their traditional Remembrance Day game at 3 p.m. in a rematch with the 8-5-2 Bears.
"We've reached back out to the Legion this year and got back in touch with our roots," Legionnaires Head Coach Todd Hornung said. "They're a big part of what's behind our team. I think over the years it kind of gets lost with kids, the sacrifices people made for us. We're trying to let them learn more about the past and support the Legion as much as we can."