“Last time I had a hat trick was in AAA Midget, and yah, it’s really unbelievable I was able to put four away tonight.”
Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings forward Davis Chorney led the way for the hometown team Saturday, as he scored all four goals, including the overtime winner, as the Red Wings picked up a 4-3 win over the Estevan Bruins.
“Dazza shut the door, and then we did our part on defence and we couldn’t ask for more,” Chorney added.
“These guys have worked hard lately and have come up on the short end here lately, and to have that win is a real complete effort,” said head coach Cody Mapes after the game.
Chorney opened the scoring for the Red Wings 6:13 into the game. He took a feed from Mi-Kwan Tallman and buried it past Estevan starting goalie Cam Hrdlicka.
Shortly after the opening goal, the Bruins would have to switch goaltenders, though. Hrdlicka suffered a lower-body injury while making a save just a minute and a half later, and would be replaced by Boston Bilous in the crease.
The change seemed to spark the Bruins, somewhat, as they would end up scoring twice to take the lead by the end of the period. The first goal came from Eric Pearce, who found himself all alone in front of the Weyburn net. He would score at the 10:09 mark. Then, with just 16 seconds left on the clock, Dayton Deics put a seeing-eye shot from the blueline in to make it 2-1.
In the second period, the lone goal came for the Bruins with 8:19 to play in the frame. Nolan Jones would score on Mitchell to make it 3-1.
The Red Wings, though, weren’t going to quit.
Just inside the five-minute mark of the third period, Chorney took a feed from Sebastian Hamming, and threw it towards the net, looking to connect with Kirk Mullen who was at the top of the crease. The puck would end up getting past Bilous, pulling the Red Wings within one with a lot of the game left to play.
Then, just past the halfway mark of the period, an offensive zone faceoff for the Red Wings would lead to the game-tying goal. On the face-off, Mullen tied up the Estevan centre, letting Chorney get his stick on the puck, He would fire towards the net from a sharp angle, beating Bilous and tying the game up with half a period to play.
The goal would also cause a short delay as hats rained onto the ice as Chorney scored his hat trick goal.
With the game tied, the Bruins were content to try to run out the rest of the clock. They needed only one point to clinch first overall in the SJHL. Meanwhile, at the other end, Bilous turned aside everything the Red Wings fired at him to preserve the tie.
With neither team able to score in the final ten minutes of the third period, overtime was now needed.
In the extra period, Ty Mason would pick up the puck in his own zone, and skated into the Estevan end on the right wing. He would fire the puck on the net, with a save made by Bilous The rebound would carom off the goaltender, and then hit the body of Chorney, redirecting into the net giving the Red Wings their first win over their Highway 39 rivals this season.
“To be down 3-1 at the end of two to a team like that is pretty impressive to come back with that third period,” Mapes said. “It all starts with Mitch Wilkie and Austyn Hansen blocking shots on the penalty kill.”
Mapes pointed to a four-minute power play the Bruins had at the end of the second period as pivotal for the team. The Red Wings killed off the double minor and then gained all the momentum heading into the third period.
From here, the Red Wings will have three more road games to close out the season. Tuesday night they find themselves in Melville to take on the Millionaires. Wednesday will see the Wings playing the Notre Dame Hounds in Radville, making up a game from early January that was originally scheduled to be played in that community. The game against the Yorkton Terriers that was to have been played Friday will also be rescheduled. It’s anticipated that game will be played on Thursday.