The Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings made their return to Crescent Point Place Thursday night, after spending a month displaced issues with the ice plant. While they were tied with the Humboldt Broncos 2-2 after 40 minutes, they made a statement in the third period, scoring five goals in the final frame en route to a 7-3 victory.
“We were just really wanting to bear down in this third period, and gave it all we got,” said forward Jerome Maharaj, who scored two goals, including the game-winner. “Our last home game here before Christmas break, so I think the boys really dug in and took another step forward.”
“It’s definitely nice to finish at home like that,” added head coach Cody Mapes. “Send everybody off with the positive of it going into the new year, so it’s definitely good.”
Weyburn would open the scoring in the game just 7:56 in when Jaxson Ruthven potted his 12th goal of the season, assisted by Liam Fitzgerald and Max Chakrabarti. Humboldt didn’t waste time in replying though, as Kye Benoche scored just 34 seconds later.
Weyburn again took the lead in the first period when Ethan Dekay scored his 17th of the year, with Turner McIntyre and Jerome Maharaj credited with the assists. The Broncos again replied, this time with less than a minute left on the clock in the opening period as Oakley McIlwain scored.
In the second period, it was the goaltenders who took things over, with Eduoard Gauthier in the Humboldt net making 15 saves, and Angelo Zol in the Weyburn net making 15. Neither would allow a goal, setting up the exciting finish in the third period.
Just 1:48 into the third period Maddox Amaral scored for the Broncos to give them the lead.
It wouldn’t be a lead for long, though, with Maharaj scoring on the power play at 3:05. The assists on the goal were from Chakrabarti and Dekay. Less than two minutes later, at 5:01, Maharaj scored his second of the game and sixth of the season, assisted by Chakrabarti. The goal would also prove to be the game-winner.
McIntyre followed up with his fifth of the season at 10:20, assisted by Maharaj.
Trailing by two, Broncos head coach Brayden Klimosko opted to pull Gauthier in favour of the extra attacker with just under three minutes left. With the forward a goal away from the hat trick, Mapes had Maharaj on the ice frequently in those final minutes to give him the chance to get the third.
“Tonight was just our best guy being our best guy,” the coach commented, noting he hates using the term ‘best player’ since there are a few of them on the team. “He took over that game and really made a difference.”
Maharaj wouldn’t get the chance for the empty-netter, though. It would be the captain, Blake Betson, who scored on a shot fired into the Broncos zone from the Weyburn half of the ice to seal the game with 41 seconds remaining. The unassisted goal, though, wouldn’t be the finish.
Just 17 seconds later, Ashtyn Shields scored his second goal of the season to make it 7-3, with Ryder Rommelaere credited with the assist. The point extended Rommelaere’s point streak to six games.
With the tin, the Red Wings moved back into first in the Viterra Division. It also sets up a crucial game Saturday against the Yorkton Terriers, who are now in second, to close out the first half of the regular season with the teams heading into the Christmas break.