Whitecourt, AB – The Whitecourt Wolverines (6-10-3) have opened the second quarter of the season with a near perfect 3-0-1 record.
Following a 4-3 victory in Drayton Valley, where John Mullally would score a late game-winning goal, the team traveled to Grande Prairie to take on the Storm. Despite a strong effort and the team getting goals from Jordan Davies, Brandon Switzer and Trace Elson, the Storm would steal a 4-3 overtime victory, thanks in large part to a three-goal performance from Jade McMullen.
After picking up three of a possible four points to end a four game road trip the Wolverines returned to the Scott Safety Centre for the back half of a home and home set with the Storm.
The Wolverines opened the scoring on the powerplay with 9:40 remaining in the first period when Joel Kocur tipped home a John Mullally point shot for his 6th goal of the season.
The Storm would tie the game just over five minutes into the middle frame on a goal from Ian McLellan, but Trace Elson would wire a shot past Storm netminder Liam McLeod from the right circle for his 5th goal on the campaign giving the Wolverines a 2-1 lead through 40 minutes.
Tanner McCorriston would turn aside all 13 shots in the final stanza and the Wolverines got a pair of empty net goals from Romano Morrison and Brandon Switzer to cap off a 4-1 victory for the Wolverines.
The team was right back in action the following night for a date with the nation’s number five-ranked team, the Camrose Kodiaks, at the Edgeworth Centre in Camrose.
Adam Wheeldon would open the scoring for the home side with a shorthanded marker, however Wolverines rookie forward Taden Rattie would answer just 1:28 later, snapping a shot from the slot top shelf on Kodiaks goalie Patrick Gora for his 5th of the season, leveling the game at 1 through one period of action.
The two clubs would exchange goals in the second period. John Mullally gave the Wolverines their first lead of the game with his 9th goal this year, but just like the Wolverines did in the first period, the Kodiaks quickly answered with a powerplay goal from Jody Sick.
Mullally would power the Wolverines to victory in the third and final period notching a pair of goals to complete the hat-trick and give the Wolverines a 4-2 win over the AJHL’s top team. Mullally’s goal 10:28 into the third would be the game winner, his 4th of the year and league leading in that category.
“It feels really good,” said head coach Joey Bouchard on knocking off one the best teams in the country. “Our guys competed, they’ve been playing really well for quite awhile now and it just came together tonight.”
“He’s gamer, the guys have nicknamed him Mr. Clutch, he scores big goals in big moments…he’s a hockey player,” Bouchard, describing the team’s leading goal scorer John Mullally.
Tanner McCorriston made 31 saves in his sixth consecutive start in the Wolverines cage and now has 3-2-1 record since joining the team, with a sparkling .921 save percentage and 2.66 goals against average.
“He’s been a difference maker, he’s installed confidence in our guys,” said Bouchard of his starting goalie. “Tanner is a leader, he is a character guy and is making timely saves and has excellent rebound control.”
The Wolverines have scored powerplay goals in four consecutive games and picked up wins in back to back games for the first time this season.
The Wolverines will next play a trio of home games this week, starting with the Drayton Valley Thunder on Wednesday night, puck drop at the Scott Safety Centre at 8pm.
Andrew Peard
@AndrewPeard