For the first time since January 8th, the Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings entertained an opponent at Crescent Point Place Friday night. For the third time in four nights, they played the Kindersley Klippers, this time at the friendly confines of Crescent Point Place.
After two consecutive losses in Kindersley earlier in the week, Wings were hoping to get an early jump in the game. The two teams would go back and forth to start the game, exchanging numerous chances, both at even strength and on special teams. Eventually, though, the Klippers would start things off with a goal with 5:18 to play in the period.
During a flurry of shots on the Weyburn net, Carson Baylis was able to grab a rebound off the post and got it by Jackson Fellner to make it a 1-0 game.
The middle period again saw a flurry of activity in both ends. The fast pace of play had Fellner in the Weyburn end and Matthew Pesenti in the Kindersley crease on their toes, facing numerous quality scoring chances. Both goaltenders would stand tall, keeping both squads off the scoreboard through the 20 minutes.
While the Red Wings had started the game down three skaters, dressing nine forwards and six defensemen, they found themselves with an even shorter bench early in the third, as Nicholas Kovacs received a two-minute minor for head contact and a ten-minute misconduct. The Klippers were able to capitalize on the power play, though.
On the forecheck during the power play, Klippers forward Colten Boyarski poked the puck off the stick of a Red Wings defender, and it somehow got past Fellner, making it a 2-0 game 2:10 into the period. Then, the lead was extended to 3-0 just seconds later.
A shot from Andrew Schaab was initially stopped by Fellner, but Baylis tapped the rebound in to extend the lead 29 seconds after the power play goal.
The offensive outpouring from the Klippers continued as Kindersley came in on a 3-on-2, and Charles Obobaifo took a feed from Schaab at the 7:33 mark of the third to make it 4-0.
Tempers then flared up just moments after the fourth goal.
It started with a hit along the boards in the Kindersley zone at the 8:38 mark, drawing a crowd. Everyone paired off in the scrum, and it appeared that the situation had been settled. Then, the scrum flared up again and Ty Mason ended up dropping the gloves with Boyarski, the Klipper who was hit into the boards.
As a result of the scrum, a number of penalties were handed out, with Mason and Boyarski each receiving five-minute majors and game misconducts for fighting. Weyburn’s Ethan Whillans was also assessed a five-minute major for checking from behind, which carried a game misconduct as well, giving Kindersley a power play. The other penalties handed out as a result of the scrum included a roughing minor and a ten-minute misconduct to Kindersley’s Josh Morton and Weyburn’s Nolan Henderson.
Aside from being shorthanded as a result of the major penalty to Whillans, the Wings also found themselves with an even shorter bench, as Nolan Henderson was handed a 10-minute misconduct and a roughing minor for his role in the scrum. Kindersley’s Josh Morton was also assessed a roughing minor and misconduct.
The Red Wings would find themselves stymied in getting any offense generated through much of the third period, finishing the game with just 13 shots on goal, only testing Pesenti four times in the final 20 minutes. At the other end, the Klippers peppered Fellner 16 times, finishing the game with 31 shots on goal.
The next game for the Red Wings will be Monday when they travel to Yorkton for a matchup with the Terriers. This game was originally scheduled to have been played on January 14th but was postponed as the Terriers were on a five-day pause due to COVID-19.