The Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings continued their homestand at Crescent Point Place on the weekend. They would come away with three of a possible four points, with a win in a shootout over the La Ronge Ice Wolves Friday night, but a loss in overtime against the Yorkton Terriers Saturday.
In the game Friday, the Red Wings took the lead in the first period when Jackson Hassman scored at the 12:34 mark of the period. His goal, his 18th of the season, was assisted by Ryley Morgan and Ty Mason. The lead for the Wings, though, wouldn’t survive the period.
The Ice Wolves would tie things up late in the period when Liam McInnis got the puck past rookie netminder Eric Kahl with just 1:12 left on the clock in the opening frame.
In the second period, the Wings came out roaring.
Max Monette scored his fifth of the year at the 8:33 mark. His goal would be assisted by Carter Briltz. Then, 54 seconds later, Elijah Anderson would get the puck past Dawson Smith for his seventh. His tally was assisted by Blake Betson and Braigh LeGrandeur.
In the third period, the Ice Wolves would be the ones putting all the pressure on the Red Wings. La Ronge would get within a goal when Trenton Curtis scored just 47 seconds into the frame. Then, at the 7:55 mark, Thomas Wright would score an unassisted goal, and the game would be tied up at 3-3.
The third would end in a deadlock, meaning a five-minute period of 3-on-3 overtime. In the extra frame, neither team would score, although the Red Wings would have more chances than La Ronge.
With the teams even after the overtime, a shootout would be needed to settle things.
Anderson would score as the first shooter for the Wings, but then the second shooter for La Ronge, Wright, would then get the puck past Kahl. It would need a fourth shooter from each team to break the deadlock, and Simon Pollock would score for Weyburn, giving them the edge. Then, Kahl stopped Curtis to pick up the victory, his first in the SJHL.
Saturday, the Red Wings were looking to extend their point streak to eight games and were hoping for two points instead of just one. The Terriers would rally to force overtime, though and skated to a 3-2 victory.
Ty Mason got the Wings on the board when he notched his 19th of the year at the 7:59 mark of the opening period. The goal was assisted by Pollock.
With just 31 seconds left to play in the first, though, Yorkton tied it up when Cohner Saleski got the puck past Matt Schoephoerster.
Weyburn would come out firing in the second period, putting 17 shots on Yorkton netminder Caleb Allen. Allen would withstand the flurry of activity with just one blemish that came at the 7:18 mark.
Taking a feed from Matthew Reidy, Ian Maier dropped to a knee with a wicked one-timer that went over the glove hand of Allen to put Weyburn back out front. Maier’s third of the season, a power play goal, was assisted by Matteo Turrin as well.
Yorkton would be determined to try to even things up, but the defence of the Red Wings limited the number of shots they would get on Schoephoerster in the middle frame. One of the early shots in the third, though, would tie things up, as Saleski scored his second of the game 62 seconds into the final period.
Weyburn threw everything they had at Allen in the third but was unable to beat the Yorkton goalie, and regulation would end with the two teams knotted up 2-2.
In overtime, Pavel McKenzie would get sprung free on a breakaway, and he managed to get the puck past Schoephoerster, giving the Terriers a 3-2 victory.
Despite the overtime loss, the Red Wings still managed to keep the longest active point streak in the SJHL alive at eight games. They expanded their lead over the idle Notre Dame Hounds for the 8th and final playoff spot to eight points, while Notre Dame does have three games in hand. Weyburn is also four points back of the Nipawin Hawks for 7th and 8 points back of the Estevan Bruins for 6th. The Wings also have a game in hand on Nipawin and three on Estevan.
Weyburn will be back at Crescent Point Place to wrap up their homestand this coming week. They host the Flin Flon Bombers at Crescent Point Place Thursday night, then take on the Nipawin Hawks Saturday.