Turning aside 42 of the 44 shots he faced at the Whitney Forum, Boston Gelowitz recorded his first-ever win in the SJHL Saturday, backstopping the Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings to a 5-2 victory over the Flin Flon Bombers.
“Boston Gelowitz was great again tonight,” said Red Wings head coach Cody Mapes after the game. “It’s not an easy rink to come into and try to get your first SJHL win, and I couldn’t be happier for him and the guys.”
He was supported by offence from all quarters, with Beau Larson, Nick Dobson, Austyn Hansen and Troy Hamilton.
The two teams were scoreless after the opening period, with the goaltenders standing strong. Gelowitz made 16 saves in the first period alone, while the Red Wings tested Flin Flon goaltender Max Hildebrand 13 times.
Weyburn solved the deadlock before the halfway mark of the second period, though.
At the 9:35 mark of the period, Beau Larson made it 1-0, lifting the puck past Hildebrand. The goal was assisted by Drew Kuzma and Nick Dobson. For Kuzma, it made the game Saturday his fifth in a row with a point and seventh game in six. He has racked up nine points in that span.
Weyburn would then make it a 2-0 game at the 15:46 mark when veteran defenseman Nick Dobson score his first goal of the season. He took a feed from Matthew Reidy, who was parked behind the net and put it past Hildebrand.
Gelowitz looked like he was set to spoil the night, as it was Teddy Bear Toss night in Flin Flon. However, the Bombers were determined to make the stuffed animals rain down, and did so in the dying moments of the mile period.
With 26 seconds left on the clock, Jaxon Martens scored a power play goal to make it 2-1, delaying the game while crews cleared away the animals.
In the third period, Weyburn extended the lead again, as Hansen took a feed from Beau Larson and beat Hildebrand for his fourth of the season at the 4:39 mark.
The Bombers were intent on keeping things close, though as Cole Duppearault received a cross-slot feed, and put it past Gelowitz to make it 3-2.
Facing a one goal deficit, Flin Flon pulled Hildebrand in favour of the extra attacker and put the pressure on the Wings. The pressure, however, would be broken up by Braden Birnie. The captain pushed the puck into the neutral zone, passed it over to Kirk Mullen who then sled it to Hamilton who tapped it into the yawning cage.
Hamilton would get one more goal, also in an empty net, with just three seconds left on the clock. The goal was assisted by Mullen, who finished the game with two assists, and Dobson, who finished with three.
The three stars, as selected by the media:
1st Star – Boston Gelowitz (WEY) – 42/44
2nd Star – Nick Dobson (WEY) 1G, 2A
3rd Star – Beau Larson (WEY) 1G, 1A
The Red Wings will close out their road trip Saturday night, as they play the Bombers one more time at the Whitney Forum. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. You can catch all the action, including the pregame show, starting at 7:15 p.m. on Red Wing Radio BIG106.