Whitecourt, AB – The Whitecourt Wolverines (22-7-3) used a second-period surge to pull away from the Grande Prairie Storm (15-12-3) in convincing fashion on Friday night, winning 10-2.
Despite the lopsided final score it would be the Storm opening the scoring early after Edouard Michaud deflected in a point shot by Parker Huebner just 2:31 into the contest. The Wolverines responded quickly, with the teams playing four-on-four, Stevie Bryant put a picture-perfect shot from the left-wing boards short-side over the shoulder of Storm starting goalie Charles-Olivier Levesque 5:43 into the period. A very entertaining first period ended in a 1-1 tie as the two teams combined for 27 shots.
The second period would see the Wolverines take full control of the game. Just 57 seconds into the period, Ryley Smith got free on a breakaway and made a move to his backhand, lifting the puck past Levesque to give the Wolverines the lead, 2-1. The score would stay that way until midway through the period and in a span of just 54 seconds, the Wolverines would blow the game wide open. On a powerplay, Matthew Monk spotted Jaedon Leslie down low and he took the puck off the goal line and beat an outstretched Levesque to increase the lead to 3-1. 37 seconds later, a pinballing puck, following a Stevie Bryant shot, would eventually bounce in off of Jude Butler and all of a sudden it was a 4-1 Wolverine lead. Just 15 seconds after that, the game was 5-1 as Mackenzie Harden set up Hayden Clayton on a two-on-one rush in the right-wing circle.
Things got worse for the Storm in the third period as following a four-goal period in the second, the Wolverines would score five more times in the third. The first two goals came on the powerplay as Ben Evanish and Brayden Labant joined the scoring parade. Mackenzie Harden then added an even-strength marker with under five minutes to play. The power play would strike again late as Brayden Richards scored his first goal as a Wolverine with under three minutes to play and Ben Evanish would cap the night with his second goal to get the Wolverines into double digits. This is the second time this season the Wolverines have scored 10 goals in a game with the first coming back on September 29th in Camrose.
The Wolverines and Storm hookup again Saturday night up in Grande Prairie for a 7:30 p.m. opening faceoff.
The Wolverines would like to thank Kal-Tire for their generosity and partnership in helping collect donations for the Whitecourt Christmas Hamper through their chuck-a-tire intermission game at the last two Wolverine home games!
Scoring Summary
1st Period:
GP Goal – 2:31 – Edouard Michaud(21) from Parker Huebner and Justin Bernier (EV)
WCT Goal – 5:43 – Stevie Bryant(8) from Tanner Foster and Jude Butler (EV)
2nd Period:
WCT Goal – 0:57 – Ryley Smith(9) from Estian Coetzee and Tyr Thompson (EV)
WCT Goal – 9:18 – Jaedon Leslie(10) from Matthew Monk and Noah Tooke (PP)
WCT Goal – 9:55 – Jude Butler(3) from Stevie Bryant and Ben Evanish (EV)
WCT Goal – 10:10 – Hayden Clayton(2) from Mackenzie Harden and Spencer Bast (EV)
3rd Period:
WCT Goal – 6:37 – Ben Evanish(15) from Noah Tooke (PP)
WCT Goal – 9:37 – Brayden Labant(3) from Matthew Monk and Ryan Grant (PP)
GP Goal – 12:57 – Dallas Comeau(10) unassisted (PP)
WCT Goal – 15:26 – Mackenzie Harden(3) from Hayden Clayton and Spencer Bast (EV)
WCT Goal – 17:02 – Brayden Richards(5) from Ryley Smith and Estian Coetzee (PP)
WCT Goal – 18:16 – Ben Evanish(16) from Stevie Bryant and Jude Butler (EV)
Shots – WCT 55 (15-21-19) GP 20 (12-4-4)
Power plays – WCT 4/8 GP 1/5
Goalies:
WCT – Xavier Potvin (17-5-3) 18sv/20sh
GP – Charles-Olivier Levesque (10-10-3) 21sv/26sh (30:10), Lars Kaliel (0-0-0) 24sv/29sh (29:50)
Three Star Selection:
1. WCT-Ben Evanish (2 goals, 1 assist)
2. WCT-Stevie Bryant (1 goal, 2 assists)
3. WCT-Jude Butler (1 goal, 2 assists)
Hardest Working Wolverine: Matthew Monk (2 assists).
Recap presented by:
