For the first time since April 13, 2012, the Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings are hosting a SJHL finals game at Crescent Point Place as they take on the Melfort Mustangs in Game 3 of the Canterra Seeds Cup Final. The Red Wings split last weekend’s set on the road, winning Game 1 by a score of 2-1 and then dropping Game 2 by a score of 3-0. Cody Mapes, head coach and general manager of the Red Wings, says there’s work to be done, but is excited to return home.
“We're coming out (of Melfort) with a split and we’re okay with that. We’re going to get back home, regroup and get back at it. We’re looking forward to getting home we know our crowds are going to be great and have a little answer for what they had for us last weekend.”
The excitement builds here in Weyburn as Red Wings fans look forward to the first SJHL finals game on home ice in over a decade. In 2012, the Red Wings were defeated in 6 games against the Humboldt Broncos. The Red Wings are looking to write their own story and win the league championship for the first time since 2001 when they beat the Nipawin Hawks in 6 games.
To do that, they’ll have to defeat the defending SJHL champion Melfort Mustangs. The Mustangs were the regular season champions with a record of 46-8-0-2 and have punched their ticket to this year's final with series wins over the Kindersley Klippers in 5 games and a series sweep over the Yorkton Terriers. The Mustangs have a playoff record of 9-1-1 with the Red Wings handing them their first regulation loss of the postseason. Now that the venue switches back to Weyburn, the Red Wings will look to use the energy of the hometown crowd to ignite them to a victory.
“The (crowd’s) have been great here lately,” Mapes said, “I know that the boys really get a good bump when the crowds are loud and the crowds have been loud even on the road here. So, we hope that our fans back home can give us a good boost of energy come Game 3”
The puck drops at Crescent Point Place tonight at 7 P.M. for Game 3 of the Canterra Seeds Cup Final. Tickets are available for purchase at the Weyburn Red Wings office. If you can’t make it in person, you can catch all the action on Great Plains Ford Red Wing Radio Country 106.7 starting at 6:45 P.M. with the pre-game show.