The Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings look to continue their winning ways into Game 2 of the Canterra Seeds Cup Finals tonight on the road against the Melfort Mustangs. The Red Wings started the series off on the right foot with a hard-fought 2-1 win last night to go up 1-0 in the series. A shorthanded breakaway goal from Red Wings forward Jerome Maharaj and a third period breakaway goal from Red Wings forward Ethan Dekay provided the offense, while Red Wings goaltender Angelo Zol stopped 27 of 28 shots with some devoted shot blocking especially on the penalty kill helped secure his ninth win in the playoffs. Maharaj talks about the confidence that those great penalty kills bring to the team.
"It's especially huge when you got guys like Josh Karman and Chad Lebeau blocking shots all night. Think they've had like a combined 100 block shots this playoffs. It's really cool for them, it gives us energy and allows us to get chances on the penalty kill."
The Red Wings have the second best playoff penalty kill by percentage, 88.5% heading into this game, and we're able to shut down the most lethal powerplay unit in the playoffs in the Melfort Mustangs who heading into Game 1 had scored 24.5% or 11 out of 43 chances this postseason. The Red Wings were also able to get timely shorthanded goals, with Maharaj's tying up last night's contest, and Lucas Schmid's shorthanded goal in Game 6 against the Battlefords North Stars giving them the lead. Dekay talks about the mentality that this team is using heading into tonight's matchup.
"Just take every day as a new day, continue to get better. Everyone's buying in and it's great right now. We just got to come out harder than we did (in Game 1) and keep putting the pedal to the medal."
Game 2 of the Canterra Seeds Cup Final takes place at the Northern Lights Palace in Melfort, with puck drop at 7:30 P.M. Catch all the action on Great Plains Ford Red Wing Radio Country 106.7 starting at 7:15 P.M. with the pre-game show