The Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings jumped out to a big, early lead against the Yorkton Terriers Tuesday night. Weyburn would need to hold on, though, as the Terriers rallied back to make it close. The Wings managed to stave off the flurry of offense late in the game from Yorkton and picked up a 7-5 win.
Weyburn jumped out to an early lead, with three goals in just over two minutes in the first period. Jakob Kalin got the ball rolling with his 20th of the season at the 8:36 mark of the first, assisted by Blake Norris and Elijah Anderson. Then, exactly one minute later, Ryley Morgan notched his 19th of the year, assisted by Ty Mason and Nolan Henderson.
Just 68 seconds after that goal, Jackson Hassman potted his 19th of the year – a power play goal, assisted by Mason and Norris, and Weyburn was up 3-0. They weren’t finished in the first period, though.
With 3:51 to go in the period, Blake Betson netted his third of the season on the power play, assisted by Mason, who picked up three points in the first period alone. Then, with 2:26 left on the clock, Max Henderson scored his first as a Red Wing, assisted by Kalin and Anderson, and the Red Wings enjoyed a 5-0 lead after the opening 20 minutes.
The five goals would also spell the end of the night for Yorkton starting goalie Caleb Allen, who was replaced by Tysen Smith for the rest of the game.
The change in goal seemed to provide a bit of a spark for the Terriers.
Yorkton would get on the board with 8:12 to go in the second period as Quintin Unreiner scored his third of the year. Then Dylan Ruptash would beat Dazza Mitchell with just of four minutes to go in the second to make it a 5-2 game.
The Wings would reply before the end of the second.
Hassman scored his second of the night, with Morgan and Mason getting the assists on the goal.
In the third period, the Terriers came roaring back.
Brett Butz would score 5:35 into the period to make it a 6-3 game, then at the 7:12 mark Clay Sleeva scored to make it 6-4. Then, the Terriers would get a power play goal with 6:05 to play in the third to make it 6-5, and the Wings were finding themselves on the ropes in the third period.
Yorkton would pull Smith in favour of the extra attacker, and would get pressure in the Weyburn end, but then Matteo Turrin managed to get the puck out of the zone, and skated in, firing onto the open net to make it a 7-5 game.
The Red Wings managed to pull within four points of the Nipawin Hawks, with two games in hand, with the win, as the Hawks fell in overtime to the Kindersley Klippers. Weyburn also opened up their lead for 8th place over the Notre Dame Hounds to seven points, as the Hounds fell 5-4 in overtime to the Humboldt Broncos.
The Red Wings will be back in action Friday night as they host the Notre Dame Hounds at Crescent Point Place, and then follow that up with a game against the Terriers at home Saturday night.