The Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings reclaimed top spot in the Viterra Division Wednesday night, as they doubled up the Humboldt Broncos 4-2 last night. The win now has Weyburn up by one point over the Yorkton Terriers, with a game still in hand as the team enters the final stretch before the postseason.
The game was a homecoming of sorts for two Red Wings – forward Josh Sale and goalie Ty Matonovich. Both skated with the Broncos until coming to Weyburn in a trade ahead of the SJHL deadline that saw Weyburn goalie Dazza Mitchell go to Humboldt.
Matonovich would get the win in goal, turning aside 38 of the 40 shots he faced. It was his fourth win in four starts since coming to the Red Wings.
“It feels great,” Matonovich said after the game. “I mean, you always want to beat your former team, so going in there at their barn and winning the game is an unreal feeling.”
“Unbelievable teammate, and works his butt off in practice,” Red Wings head coach said of Matonovich. “He makes everybody else better too, so very happy that he was able to get a win tonight.”
Weyburn opened up the scoring in the first period when Jerome Maharaj was awarded a penalty shot at the 9:35 mark, when he was hauled down on a breakaway coming out of the penalty box. Going against his former teammate Mitchell, Maharaj was able to snipe the goal for his 14th of the season. Then, 32 seconds later, Braigh LeGrandeur would net his 12th of the season, assisted by Jaxson Ruthven.
“When guys like that produce, it makes your lineup very deep and very, very hard to match up,” Mapes commented on LeGrandeur, who has now scored five goals in six games, and has a three-game scoring streak.
The scoring for the Red Wings would continue in the second period, as Wyatt LaCoste tipped in a point shot from Max Chakrabarti for his second of the season 6:12 into the middle frame. The other assist on the goal came from Matty Edwards.
Humboldt would finally answer back late in the third period. Oakley McIlwain scored on the power play with 7:39 to play and then Marik Mamic would beat Matonovich with 2:54 to go to make it 3-2.
Luke Dekay, though, would put the game away with an empty-net goal, assisted by Drew Molde, with 54 seconds to play.
The Red Wings will now prepare for a crucial game this weekend, as they play the Melville Millionaires Friday night at Crescent Point Place.