Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League

Game Highlights – vs Melville

The Weyburn Red Wings will enter the Christmas break with their three-game winning streak snapped, as they fell 2-1 to the Melville Millionaires in overtime last night. It is the fifth year in a row the Wings have dropped the final home game before the players return home for Christmas.

The Millionaires were the first to get on the board, scoring just 1:48 in the first period. Chane Sherban jumped a set play the Wings use to start their breakout, and put the puck past Arik Weersink. From there, while the two teams exchanged chances, it was primarily a goaltenders duel.

Weersink would go on to stop 22 of the 24 shots he faced, while Melville goalie Brandon Wells, playing his first game with the team since last season, was 29-for-30. Both made a number of clutch saves throughout the game.

The Wings would tie the game up pate in the third period. With Weersink on the bench in favour of the extra attacker, Ty Brown scored his tenth of the year, assisted by Mike Eskra and Erik Olson. The goal with 1:04 remaining sent the two teams to overtime.

In the three-on-three overtime, neither team was able to find an edge, despite a number of opportunities. Late in the frame, Melville captain Clayton Eisler put a shot on goal which looked innocent enough, but awkwardly went off the shoulder of Weersink, and into the net. The game-winning goal came with just 3.1 seconds remaining in the period.

The win snapped a five-game losing skid for Melville.

With the single point picked up because of the overtime loss, the Wings are now tied with the Estevan Bruins for first in the Viterra Division, each team with 41 points. The Bruins will be in town on December 30th to resume the regular season after the holiday break.