FEB 9 AND 10
courtesy of Steven Wilson, discoverweyburn.com
Feb 9
The trio of Logan Schatz, Nick Shumlanski and Jaxon Joseph would prove to be the difference makers for the Humboldt Broncos, as they beat the Weyburn Red Wings 4-1 Friday night. The win is the first win for the Broncos over the Red Wings this season and opens the gap they hold over the Wings for fifth place in the overall standings to seven points. With the loss, the Red Wings remain five points back of the Estevan Bruins for first in the Viterra Division, but now only have one game in hand.
The game started out well for the Red Wings, with Jordan Kazymyra scoring on the power play just 3:32 into the opening frame. The goal, assisted by Connor Pyne and Landon Walters, gives the Wings power play goals in four consecutive games and improves their overall power play record on the season, which is the best in the SJHL.
Chase Nameth, a call-up for the Red Wings, made a strong impact, enough players from the Broncos gave him notice. Nameth, who normally plays for the Regina Pat Canadians of the SMAAAHL, saw minutes on the top two lines with the Wings and was quick to bounce back after being rocked by Broncos defenseman Bryce Fiske early in the game.
“It woke me up, and I thought I played well after the big hit,” Nameth said after the game. The sentiment was echoed by Red Wings head coach Wes Rudy.
“He’s a tough kid, he battles hard, he was one of our better hockey players tonight,” Rudy commented about the performance of the AP.
The Broncos would stymy the momentum the Red Wings were gaining after the Kazymyra goal, though, at the nine-minute mark of the first. Logan Schatz scored his 19th of the season, beating Arik Weersink, who was appearing in his 35th game of the season for the Wings.
In the second period, the Broncos began to pull away. At the 4:55 mark, Joseph would score a goal, redirecting a point shot by Stephen Wack into the right-side post, which ricocheted into the net behind Weersink.
Just 2:30 later, the Broncos expanded the lead, when Shumlanski scored, assited by Schatz, who finished the game with three points. His third came in the final minute of the second, when he scored an unassisted goal.
The Red Wings came out in the third, and turned things up, but were unable to beat Parker Tobin, despite a number of close range chances.
Feb 10
The Weyburn Red Wings tried everything the could Saturday night but were unable to get more than a single goal, falling 6-1 to the Humboldt Broncos. The Red Wings headed home from the game empty-handed on a three-game road trip which saw them drop a decision the Humboldt Friday and the Battlefords Thursday.
The lone goal for the Red Wings was scored by Connor Pyne, with Dexter Robinson and Ty Brown assisting. The goal came late in the third period, as the Wings were throwing everything they had at Humboldt goalie Parker Tobin. Weyburn outshot Humboldt 33-26 in the loss.
The Wings may be without the services of Ben Hiltz for a few games, depending on rulings from the league office. Hiltz was assessed a match penalty for a deliberate attempt to injure late in the third period.