For the third time this season in three meetings, the Weyburn Red Wings and Melville Millionaires were forced to work a little extra time again tonight. Preston Shupe started things off for the Wings at the 4:11 mark of the first period with assists going to Torrey Lindsay and Connor Krukowski. The Millionaires tied it up just 20 seconds later as Scott Hennings tied things up for Melville. Jarrett Fisher and Jeremie Houde assisted on the goal. Brayden Nargang put the Wings up 2-1 at the 10:41 mark of the first with Josh Bray and Krukowski assisting on the goal. However, the Wings again gave up a quick goal as just 8 seconds later, Daniel Hope tied things up for the Millionaires with Bryant Dyke and Kale Dolinski assisting. Dyke then put the Mils up for the first time in the game as he was the benefactor of a mix up behind the Weyburn goal and picked up the unassisted marker. Tanner Erickson was in goal for the Wings at this time as AJ Whiffen, who started and played the first 11:21 of the first period left with what is believed to be equipment issues. The Wings however tied things up before the end of the wild and wacky first period as Rhett Bly picked up the power play marker from Bray and Nargang. Whiffen returned for the beginning of the second period and was outstanding throughout the rest of regulation and the overtime period. The second and third period were both scoreless as was the overtime period which led to a shootout. Torrey Lindsay took the first shot for Weyburn but missed the net. Brad Johnston then shot for Melville but missed as he put it off the post. Rhett Bly took the second shot for the Red Wings but was stoned by Mils goaltender Travis Bosch. Dion Campbell went next for Melville and went high glove side on Whiffen to give the Mils the lead. Josh Bray then had the pressure has he needed to score to keep things going but Bosch made the glove save which gave the Millionaires the 4-3 shootout win over the Red Wings. The Millionaires have won all three head to head matches this season with the Red Wings. AJ Whiffen made 40 saves on 42 shots faced for the Red Wings. Tanner Erickson stopped 7 of the 8 shots he faced when coming in for relief in the first period. Travis Bosch made 33 saves in the Melville goal. Both Melville and Kindersley now trail Weyburn by two points in the Sherwood Conference as the Wings have 38 points with the Millionaires and Klippers each with 36 points.
In Humboldt, the Kindersley Klippers were spanked 5-2 by the hometown Broncos. Jordan Schindel had two goals and an assist to pace the Broncos. Laurent Benjamin and Brayden Klimosko each added a goal and an assist. Steven Schroeder added the other Humboldt goal. Russ Nielsen chipped in with three assists from the back end for the Broncos. Brett Leedahl scored both Kindersley goals on the night. Andrew Bodnarchuk got the start for the Broncos tonight and made a respectable 27 saves on 29 shots. Klippers coach Larry Wintoneak decided to start Ryan Nieszner over Matt Weninger even though Weninger has went almost 196 minutes without allowing a goal. Niesnzer was busy as he was forced to stop 39 of 44 Broncos shots. The Broncos continue to trail the Melfort Mustangs by 2 points in the Itech Conference standings for first place as the Mustangs also won tonight. The Klippers lost out on an opportunity to catch first place Weyburn in the Sherwood and are now tied for second with the Melville Millionaires in a very tight Sherwood race.
The Estevan Bruins were hoping the return of goaltender David Ritz to Melfort would help spark them over the Mustangs tonight but fell 4-1. Colton Graf was playing his first game for the Mustangs after being assigned to the team by the Chilliwack Bruins of the WHL. Graf, a 17 year old had a goal and an assist for Melfort. Kyle Fraser and Taylor Watt also had a goal and an assist each while Jordan Morgan had the other Mustangs goal. Matt Hill added three assists for Melfort. Chad Filteau scored the lone Estevan goal with assists going to Payden Benning and Kyle Stroh. Ilia Ejov wins yet another game as he stopped 28 Bruins' shots. Ritz made 32 saves in the Bruins goal. Melfort, as mentioned earlier, maintains there two point advantage over second place Humboldt in the Itech conference. The Bruins fail to make up ground on fourth place Yorkton in the Sherwood conference.
Finally, in Flin Flon tonight, the Bombers won a hard fought 3-2 game over Nipawin which was decided in overtime. Myles Masse was the hero for the Bombers as he scored 2:27 into the extra frame. Dustyn Clegg had a goal and an assist for the Bombers while Reid MacLeod had the other Bombers goal. Dennis Kubat, Brennan Cox, David Linsley and Jean-Sebastien Bergeron all added assists for Flin Flon. Keldon Sanderson had both Nipawin goals. Mike Rey, Derek Holenski, Torrie Dyck and Blair Toms all picked up assists. Calvin Bartel had a relatively light night in goal for the Bombers as he only faced 16 shots. Derek Kleinsteuber turned aside 37 Flin Flon shots in the Nipawin goal.
Meanwhile, the La Ronge Ice Wolves and Notre Dame Hounds were playing a neutral site game in Gull Lake tonight. I can tell you that the Ice Wolves won the game 5-2 but I have no further details available at this time.
Tonight's Three Stars (excluding any Wolves or Hounds due to no information)
* Jordan Schindel - Humboldt Broncos (3 point night in win over Kindersley)
** Brayden Nargang - Weyburn Red Wings (2 point night and was a force all night for the Red Wings)
*** Colton Graf - Melfort Mustangs (impressive first SJHL game for 17 year old rookie)
Rant - If playing a neutral site game (Notre Dame or La Ronge usually), some one from those organizations that are hosting should be responsible for keeping the on-line scoring updated throughout the game - or at very least - phone in a score periodically so that fans at home no what is happening.
I am taking tomorrow off for the Grey Cup so power rankings and other weekly features that normally appear on Sundays will likely not appear until Monday evening. Also, I will be taking a leave of absence from the site from November 29 - December 5 due to academic and work commitments. Troy Kramm will continue to keep you updated on news from Red Wing land. Power rankings will not appear on Sunday December 2 but will return the following week. Thank you all for your patience during this period.
- Brad M.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Wings - Mils Put In Extra Time!
Posted by Red Wings at Saturday, November 24, 2007
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5 Comments:
Congradulations to Whiffen and Erickson for keeping the Wings in the race for getting at least 1 point out of this game.
Granted A.J. was releived early to shake up the team. But if it hadn't been for the goaltending last night the Wings would have come home with nothing.
50 shots on net is unexcusable.The last two periods sounded like all Mellville. ( Good job Whiff)
As for Erickson, being placed in games against both Melfort and Melville in the past week, you are proving you can play with the best.
Had it not been for the slip up by your own defenceman passing the puck directly in front of the net in Melville and letting in the 3rd shot before anyone came to the rescue your tenure in Melville was flawless.
The team needs to remember games are won and lost in our own end and defensive play needs to improve. ( I hope the 2 new D-men can keep up to the SJHL pace). The likes of Dionne Campbell and many others in our league can expose a lack of defencive skills on a regular basis.
Enough about the defensive play and lets get some better results on the power plays.
The goaltending was very good last night. Your comment about Melville controlling the second and third periods is not totally correct. The second period was very even as the shots were 10 per team. Late in the second period both Haines and Gardner were hit from behind into the end boards and were slow to leave the ice. If you have ever played the game you would realize that you are not as effective when banged up. They still gave their all even though they were on the limp.
As for the powerplay 1 for 3 is 33% and I do not know of any teams that would not be ecstatic to have a powerplay operate at 33% efficiency.
The boys (including the goaltenders) are playing well as a TEAM but they all have off nights as can be attested by the loss in the previous game in Melville.
Allowing 50 shots in a game is a bit much. This is putting a lot of work on the goaltending. Even 40shots is a lot. Whiffen is no stranger to receiving a lot of shots. When he was playing Major midget he was receiving 40 to 45 shots on average. One game when he was substituting for the Junior team they stopped counting the shots after 80. They lost the game 6-2. I believe like it was down here they are depending on the goaltending to bail them out all the time and that is not going to happen. When a goaltender has to work this hard all the time it opens them up to more injuries. I do understand there is going to be off nights. That will happen to all teams. But when you allow that many shots, that is taking the night off. However, with that being said, I folloew the games as much as I can and I do feel the team is coming together and plying well as a unit. I beleive they will be contenders for the championship. We as fans well just have to keep supporting them and letting them know we are behind them. Even when they take nights off.
Nfld Fan!!!
Go Wings Go!!!
I like to listen to people who do not understand the game.Next game watch our wingers take their man in our end and then watch how the wingers on the other team take our defence in their end and you will see a big difference.It takes five guys to get the puck out or would you rather they just iced it all the time.learn the game and get back to me.
I don't think it is necessary to get insulting. many people know the game and many people see it in a different light. Many people have their own concept of how the game should be played. In reality hockey is a simple game. We are the ones who make it difficult, including you. Some of us think it is the defence, some of us think it is the offence and some of us think it is the whole team. and guess what, we all know the game. And we should continue to apply the pressure like we are doing. Even when the team is doing well or better than expected. It keeps them on their toes and it keeps them working hard.
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