Game Highlights – vs Yorkton

courtesy of Steven Wilson, discoverweyburn.com

Feb 2

It took 20 minutes for the scoring to start, but when it did, the Red Wings found the back of the net often, as the Wings skated to a 6-0 win over the Yorkton Terriers Friday night. With the two points, the Red Wings have now clinched a playoff berth, and are just five points back of the Estevan Bruins for first in the Viterra Division, with two games in hand.

The first period ended scoreless, but the Wings had a number of opportunities. The biggest chance they had was when Jordan Kazymyra found himself in front of an open net, but his backhand shot went off a stick, and wide of the goal. At the other end, Arik Weersink didn’t find himself tested as often, stopping just six shots in the first, and 16 all game en route to the shutout, his second of the season.

In the second period, the Wings finally ended the tie, in a dramatic fashion.

At the 3:07 mark, Dexter Robinson, the former captain of the Terriers who was acquired by the Red Wings at the end of November, was sprung free behind the defense from the Yorkton blueline thanks to a feed from Mike Eskra. Robinson skated in, and deked out Joe Marcouiller, putting Weyburn on the board. The other assist was credited to Dylan McCabe.

The scoring didn’t stop there. Connor Pyne notched his second of the season five minutes later, when he came in, around the defender on the left wing, and rifled the puck past Marcouiller. William Cruise and Dryden Wust assisted on the goal.

Before the middle period was out, Kazymyra found himself in a similar situation as the first, but this time made it count with a power-play goal. Kazymyra’s 15th of the season, assisted by Landon Walters and Cole Woodliffe, made it 3-0 heading into the third.

Jessie Young added to the total for the Wings in the third. His seventh of the year was assisted by Robinson and Ty Brown early in the period.

A scary moment for Red Wings fans in the middle of the period, though.

Woodliffe had the puck deep in the Terriers zone along the boards when he was hit from behind with force by Benjamin Solomon of the Terriers. Woodliffe lay motionless on the ice for around two minutes, before he showed some movement, and was assisted off the ice by teammates. Solomon was handed a five minute major for checking from behind, and a game misconduct.

On the ensuing power play, the Red Wings erased any doubt of a victory It started with a goal from Eskra, whose shot from the point beat Marcouiller over the shoulder. Cade Kowalski and Brown assisted on the power play marker. Just two minutes later, Ben Hiltz scored another power play goal, assisted by Kowalski and Brown again.

 

Feb 3
The Weyburn Red Wings and Yorkton Terriers combined for 13 goals Saturday night, but it was the Red Wings who would come out on top at the Farrell Agencies Arena, coming away with an 8-5 win. Jordan Kazymyra and Jeremy Velazquez scored twice each for the Wings, while Cade Kowalski had four assists in the victory.

Just three minutes into the game, the Red Wings ended up with a five-minute power play, after Josh Bryant received a major for boarding after hitting Wings defender Dylan McCabe behind the Weyburn goal. McCabe left the game, and Bryant was given the game misconduct.

On the ensuing powerplay, Velazquez would score his 11th of the season, assisted by Dexter Robinson and Kowalski. It would be 54 seconds later when Kazymyra scored his first of the game, assisted by Landon Walters and Connor Pyne.

The Terriers would get on the board 24 seconds later. Quinten Hobbs brought the puck in over the left wing, while still short-handed, and rifled the puck over the shoulder of Arik Weersink, making it a 2-1 game.

A quirky goal for the Terriers would tie the game up before the end of the opening frame. Kyle Sargent fired the puck wide of the Red Wings net after crossing over the blue line on the left wing. The puck was headed for the opposite corner, but as it crossed through the slot, it deflected off the skate of Red Wings defenseman Erik Olson and went past Weersink who was starting to shift over to track the puck as it flew through the slot.

The Wings would get back on the scoring pace to start the second period. Kazymyra scored his second of the game, with Robinson and Walters assisting. The power play tally was the 17th marker on the season for Kazymyra.

Just over four minutes, during a scramble in front of Terriers goalie Joe Marcouiller, Kazymyra flicked the puck over to the right wing circle for Erik Olson, who sent it over the goal line, putting the Wings up 4-2 before the second period was seven minutes old.

The Terriers would pull close just after the halfway mark of the period. Hobbs scored his second of the game, but the Wings were determined to restore their lead.

Sean Olson, who was on the top line with Kowalski and Ben Hiltz in placed of Cole Woodliffe, notched his second goal of the season just 1:44 after the Terriers had beaten Weersink. The tally was assisted by Kowalski and Hiltz.

In the third period, the Terriers came out firing, and it paid off.Just 54 seconds into the frame, former Red Wing Matt Jones tipped a point shot by Sargent in to make it a 5-4 game. Jones would then score again six minutes later. He slid a loose puck just over the goal line during a scramble in the crease, and the game was tied 5-5. From there, the Red Wings took over.

Hiltz scored his 25th of the season at 8:30 of the third to restore the lead, assisted by Kowalski. The goal would prove to be the game-winner, but the Red Wings weren’t finished.

William Cruise scored his third of the season with just over six and a half minutes remaining in the game on one Marcouiller will more than likely want back. Erik Olson dumped the puck into the Terriers zone, and Marcouiller stopped it since it was on goal. He went to cover it up with Kowalski bearing down on the puck, but it kept sliding just out of his reach. Kowalski tapped the puck towards the goal, and it was directed into the twine by Cruise, making it 7-5.

Velazquez closed out the scoring with just under four minutes left in the game, with Kazymyra assisting.

With the win, the Red Wings edge closer to the Estevan Bruins for first in the Viterra Division. The Bruins lost their game to the Humboldt Broncos, allowing Weyburn to move to within three points while keeping two games in hand. Weyburn is now two points back of the Notre Dame Hounds for sixth in the overall league standings as well.