Game Highlights – vs Estevan
courtesy of Steven Wilson, discoverweyburn.com
Ben Hiltz scored twice in the third period and lifted the Weyburn Red Wings to a 5-4 win over the Estevan Bruins Friday night. It was the eighth and final meeting of the season between the two teams, and a possible preview of a quarterfinal matchup, as the Wings continue to battle for sixth overall in the league standings.
Special teams played an important role in the game, with Estevan scoring three power-play goals, and the Red Wings two, including the game-tying goal in the third. Estevan finished going 3-for-4 on the power play, and Weyburn 2-for-7.
The Wings opened the scoring just 43 seconds into the game, when Ty Brown tallied his 16th of the year, directing a point shot from Mike Eskra past Bo Didur. The other assist on the power play goal was credited to defenceman Carson Scheschuk.
The Bruins would reply later in the period when Kaelan Holt scored his 29th of the year on the power play. Zach Goberis then added to the lead with an even-strength goal just past the halfway mark of the period.
The Wings pushed to restore the tie, and Sean Olson finished off a 3-on-2 for the Wings by burying the puck in a wide-open cage behind Didur. Jordan Kazymyra and Landon Walters assisted on the goal.
Estevan would enter the first intermission, though, with the lead again. With 0.9 seconds left on the clock, Jayden Davis knocked a bouncing puck past Arik Weersink during a scramble in front of the crease. The power play goal made it 3-2 after 20 minutes.
In the second period, both teams continued to exchange chances, but it would be Estevan who capitalized. Holt’s second of the game made it 4-2, with the goal being the third power-play marker of the night for Estevan.
Weyburn wasn’t done, though.
Last Friday, the Wings scored three third period goals against the Bruins, forcing overtime. This time, they would tally three times to earn the win.
It started with the second goal of the game for Sean Olson. The first year Red Wing buried the puck past Didur off a rebound. Walters and Cole Woodliffe assisted on the goal, which came just 5:18 into the frame. The Wings would then tie the game up 1:26 later. Ben Hiltz scored his 27th of the year, with Cade Kowalski and Brown assisting. The power play goal evened the scoreboard up at 4.
The Wings continued to press and dominated the majority of the play in the third period. The domination paid off with 67 seconds remaining in the period, Hiltz scored his second of the game, which would prove to be the game-winner. Kowalski and Woodliffe assisted on the goal.
With the win, the Red Wings pulled within one point of the Kindersley Klippers for 6th overall in the league, and are now three points up on the Notre Dame Hounds. The Wings will take to the ice again Saturday night against Notre Dame, as the two meet for the final time this year. A win for the Wings ensures they will finish no worse than 7th in the overall standings and will move them into 6th place heading into the final week of the regular season.