The season came to an end two games too early for the Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings, as they were stopped by the Melfort Mustangs in Game 5 of the Canterra Seeds Cup Finals Sunday night. The Mustangs would keep Weyburn off the board as they went on to a 3-0 win to take the series 4-1.
Angelo Zol would stop 32 of the 34 shots he faced in net in the loss, but finished the postseason with an impressive .928 save percentage and 2.44 goals-against average. He also played the most games of any goaltender in the postseason, starting all 17 games for the Red Wings.
Zach Turner scored the first goal of the game for the Mustangs on the power play 8:27 into the second period. In the third, Reilley Kotai would score 4:49 into the frame, with Logan Belton adding an empty-netter with just under a minute remaining to give the Mustangs the win.
For the Red Wings, they also say farewell to the eight 20-year-old players who have left their mark on the organization. Captain Blake Betson, alternate captains Jerome Maharaj, Braigh LeGrandeur and Cyprus Smith-Davis, along with forwards Ethan Dekay and Jaxson Ruthven, and defenceman Dallen Oxelgren, are all moving on from the Junior A ranks.
Maharaj and Ruthven entered the team record books as they registered their 100th points this season. Maharaj finished his time with the Red Wings 54th all-time for points with the franchise, recording 121 points in 107 games. Ruthven put up 101 points in 97 games with the Red Wings, and is 87th all-time.
The year caps off what will go down as a stellar season for the Red Wings. The 35 regular season wins are the most since the 2015-16 season, and the Viterra Division title is the first for the team since that season as well. The win over the Flin Flon Bombers in the semi-finals was the first time the Red Wings have beaten the Bombers in the post-season since 1985, and the appearance in the league finals was the first since 2012.