The Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings came into Estevan on Wednesday night looking to turn things around, having dropped their last four games. The Bruins, who have had Weyburn’s number so far this regular season, winning all six of the previous meetings this year, we're looking to make it seven straight victories over their storied rivals.
Despite the best efforts of Jackson Fellner, who made 43 saves, and a group of young players getting their first taste of the Highway 39 rivalry, the Bruins would be the ones to come out on top, picking up a 4-2 victory at Affinity Place.
Red Wings assistant coach Nathan Deck, after the game, said overall the performance from the Red Wings was a solid one.
“A few mistakes on our end and they capitalized on them,” Deck stated. “We’ve known all year that they’re a highly skilled team that can put the puck in the net.”
The Bruins came out of the gates with a jump, keeping the puck in the Weyburn zone for much of the opening 20 minutes. The efforts paid off with just a minute remaining in the period.
Mitch Kohner, who was appearing in his second game with the Bruins, would beat Jackson Fellner to make it 1-0. The goal capped off a period where the Bruins out-shot the Red Wings 17-5.
The second period saw Estevan again dominate the period at first, but the Red Wings slowly started to gain some momentum, getting the puck on net and forcing Cam Hrdlicka to have to make top-quality plays in order to stave off the Red Wings.
The Bruins would be the ones to score the lone goal of the period, though. With just 5:06 to play in the second, Estevan captain Eric Houk would get the puck past Fellner to make it a 2-0 game.
The third period had the Bruins come out firing, and they expanded their lead with two goals in the first seven minutes of the period. Kade Runke would make it 3-0 at the 3:38 mark, then Keagon Little would score to make it 4-0. However, the Wings would then turn things around.
It would start just 26 seconds after the Little goal, as Sam Skillestad brought the puck into the Estevan zone along the right wing, with Cooper Chisholm coming with him on a 2-on-1. SKillestad waited out the Bruins defender and saucered the puck over to Chisholm who wired home his third goal of the season.
The Wings would then make it a two-goal deficit just under two minutes later. The Wings were on the power play, and a shot from Ethan Clements was kicked out by Hrdlicka, right to Sebastian Hamming. The rookie defenseman would slide the puck into the Bruins net for his fourth of the season at the 9:43 mark.
The Red Wings would continue to put pressure on the Bruins throughout the remainder of the game, but were unable to find a third goal, and ended up falling 4-2.
The Red Wings will be back in action Saturday night. They travel up to Humboldt to take on the Broncos. After that game, the Wings open up a four-game homestand that starts Tuesday night when the Nipawin Hawks come to town.