Whitecourt, AB – The Whitecourt Wolverines (10-4-3) matched a season-high four game win streak Sunday afternoon with a 4-2 win over the Drumheller Dragons (10-5-1).
Stevie Bryant opened the scoring for the Wolverines with 5:51 to play in the first period as Ben Evanish lobbed a pass toward him at the side of the Dragon net and rather than waiting for it to hit the ice, Bryant smacked it out of mid-air and past Dragon netminder Hunter Virostek. Xavier Potvin stopped all 15 shots he faced in the first period as the Wolverines took a 1-0 lead into the break.
The Wolverines came out strong in the second period and at the 8:29 mark they extended their lead as Chase Haygarth sprung his twin brother Easton and Hayden Clayton on a two-on-one rush and Clayton carried the puck in and showed great patience slipping the puck in front to Easton who buried his second goal of the year. The Haygarth brothers were back at it again later in the period as Chase was set up by Easton in the slot for a one-timer that he blasted home for his first career AJHL goal which gave the Wolverines a 3-0 advantage heading into the third period.
The Dragons jumped on the Wolverines early in the final period scoring twice in the opening 2:57. First, Joren Patenaude roofed a shot from in tight and then Tyler Kreklewich brought the Dragons within a goal on a nice individual effort as he slipped around a Wolverine defenceman and fired a shot over the blocker of Potvin. The Wolverines answered back less than five minutes later, Ryley Smith streaked in on a two-on-one rush and lasered a shot far-side on Virostek to put the Wolverines back up by two. The Wolverines shut the Dragons down the rest of the way and picked up the 4-2 win.
The Wolverines return to action Friday night at the Scott Safety Centre when they welcome the Fort McMurray Oil Barons (12-1-1) for a 7:30 p.m faceoff.
Friday’s game is Breast Cancer Awareness night. Fans are asked to dress in pink and bring a bra to the game to be tossed on the ice following the Wolverines first goal. The bras will then be collected and sent to Edmonton to be hung across the High-Level Bridge for Bras Across the Bridge.
Whitecourt Wolverines head coach Gord Thibodeau discusses his team’s matinee victory:
Scoring Summary
1st Period:
WCT Goal – 14:09 – Stevie Bryant(5) from Ben Evanish and Brayden Labant (EV)
2nd Period:
WCT Goal – 8:29 – Easton Haygarth(2) from Hayden Clayton and Chase Haygarth (EV)
WCT Goal – 16:48 – Chase Haygarth(1) from Easton Haygarth and Hayden Clayton (EV)
3rd Period:
DRUM Goal – 1:44 – Joren Patenaude(5) from Dawson Bruneski (EV)
DRUM Goal – 2:57 – Tyler Kreklewich(6) from Josh Bishop (EV)
WCT Goal – 7:11 – Ryley Smith(7) from Tyr Thompson and Ryan Grant (EV)
Shots – WCT 32 (9-15-8) DRUM 31 (15-6-10)
Power plays – WCT 0/1 DRUM 0/4
Goalies:
WCT – Xavier Potvin (8-3-3) 29sv/31sh
DRUM – Hunter Virostek (8-4-0) 28sv/32sh
Three Star Selection:
1. WCT-Easton Haygarth (1g, 1a)
2. WCT-Chase Haygarth (GWG, 1a)
3. WCT-Hayden Clayton (2a)
Hardest Working Wolverine: Ryley Smith (1g).
Recap presented by:
