The U18 AAA Weyburn Gold Wings wrapped up their weekend with the second of two exhibition games against the Dakota College Lumberjacks, a junior college team out of Bottineau, North Dakota. After a big 7-1 win on Saturday, the Gold Wings managed to keep up the level of offence for the second game, scoring five goals in the first period alone as they skated to a 7-2 win.
Head coach Chandy Kaip said they came into the weekend not knowing the calibre of opponent they would be facing, but were riding momentum after a big win against the Notre Dame Hounds earlier in the week.
“Just having that main focus of taking care of business,” Kaip said of the mindset coming into the games. “You watch the standings go up and down, and everyone moving. It’s a tight league, and we just want to make sure that we continuously play consistent, solid hockey.”
Julia Durr would finish the game on Sunday with a hat trick, while her line with Hallie Parada and Peyton Halayka combined for eight points in the game Sunday, and 18 in total on the weekend. The other goals for the Gold Wings Sunday afternoon came from Ayla Kuls, Kadence Dansereau, Parada, and Jade Olszewski.
In net, Tila Boyd would be tested 26 times by Dakota College. Lumberjacks forward Sara Smith would score twice in the game – once in the first period, and again in the third – to keep Boyd from a shutout in what was a very strong performance between the pipes.
The Gold Wings will now get set for a few days off before they host the Swift Current Wildcats for a pair of games at the end of the month.
“We have lots of practices happening,” Kaip noted of what they have planned. “We have skill development starting tomorrow. We’re continuously working with sports psych and yoga, and then it’s always good to get them home and have that connection with their families.”