Game Highlights – vs Kindersley

Courtesy of Steven Wilson, Discoverweyburn.com

Game 1

The Weyburn Red Wings lost possession of first place in the Viterra Division Thursday night, as they fell 3-2 to the Kindersley Klippers. They may have lost more than just the game, though, as Carter Phair left the game halfway through the second period after being run by Kindersley forward Nicolas Malenica.

The Klippers came out hard in the opening of the game, at one point, outshooting Weyburn 8-0 in the first period. The pressure to start the game paid off for the home team, as the Klippers would score first. During a power play, Will Van Der Sloot shoveled forward a rebound from Carter Phair, putting the puck into the twine of the Weyburn goal.

Kindersley would extend the lead just 1:56 into the second period, when Malenica would score a power-play goal, the second of the night for Kindersley. The Klippers would finish the game going 2-for-5 with the man advantage.

Just three minutes after scoring, Malenica would run Phair. Referee Adam Bloski didn’t hesitate to raise the arm, and Malenica was given a five minute major for goaltender interference, and a game misconduct.

Arik Weersink came in to replace Phair but was peppered with shots throughout the frame. He was tall to the task, with the exception of one, when Eddie May scored before the halfway mark of the period.

The Red Wings then began to swing the momentum to their favor. They outshot the Klippers in the second and third period, and Jordan Kazymyra began to show why he was the rookie of the week last week.

Kazymyra took a feed from Cade Kowalski before the third period was three minutes old, and slipped it past Kindersley goalie Justen Close to put the Red Wings on the board. Five minutes later, he scored his second of the game, when he picked up the puck off the boards from Landon Walters, skated out front, and scored on Close.

Weyburn then pulled the goaltender for the final moments of the third period but was unable to get a third puck past Close to make it a tie game.

Game 2

Despite the best efforts of the Weyburn Red Wings, they fell 3-2 to the Kindersley Klippers for the second night in a row Friday night. The Red Wings still sit second in the Viterra Division, one point behind the idle Estevan Bruins.

The Klippers were without the services of forward Nik Malenica, and head coach Geoff Grimwood. Grimwood was suspended for three games, and Malenica six, after Malenica hit goaltender Carter Phair Thursday night, knocking him out of the game. It was the second time in the past two seasons a forward from Kindersley had collided with Phair, causing injury.

The WIngs got on the board first when Jordan Kazymyra scored his third goal in two nights against the Klippers. The play started when the puck ended up on the stick of Cade Kowalski. He went behind the Klippers net, coming out on the blocker side of Kindersley goalie Justen Close, and feeding the puck to Kazymyra who wired it home for the goal.

Kindersley would tie the game up 51 seconds into the second when Brenden Borbely scored his first in the SJHL. The tie game wouldn’t last long, as the Red Wings found themselves on the power play shortly after. Then, the number one road power play in the league took over.

Kazymyra notched his second point of the game, with a saucer pass through the slot to Erik Olson, who was waiting for the feed in the left-hand face-off circle. He one-timed the feed past Close to make it a 2-1 game.

Kindersley would respond less than 90 seconds later, though, tying the game up again. Josh Patrician wired home a shot from the point past Arik Weersink. His first of the season ended a flurry of activity at both ends which saw three goals in just over three minutes.

Both goaltenders then took over for the rest of the second, and the majority of the third, before Kindersley was able to pull ahead.

WIth the Klippers on the power play, their captain, Tanner Thompson, potted the puck past Weersink, giving Kindersley the lead.

Weyburn threw everything they could but the kitchen sink at Close, but couldn’t beat him a third time to even the game up.