Grande Prairie, AB – The Whitecourt Wolverines (22-7-4) had their three-game win streak come to an end on Saturday night as they fell 4-3 in a shootout to the Grande Prairie Storm (16-12-3).
The Wolverines opened the scoring just over five minutes into the game as Brayden Labant buried a rebound off a Jaedon Leslie shot. The Storm answered back less than two minutes later on a goal from Justin Bernier on a power play. The Wolverines regained their lead 3:12 after the Bernier goal as on a power play of their own, Ryley Smith found an open Estian Coetzee on the backdoor for a tap-in.
The score remained 2-1 in favor of the Wolverines all the way through a penalty-filled second period.
Just under a minute into the third period, the Wolverines extended their lead to 3-1 as Sean Thomson of the Storm inadvertently swatted a loose puck into his own net after a rebound was generated from a Liam Motley shot, Motley would get credit for the goal. The Storm would trim their deficit to one goal at the 4:48 mark of the period as Parker Smyth was able to find the back of the net on a rush into the Wolverine’s zone from the right-wing circle. The Storm would then get the game tied on another Justin Bernier power play goal at the 9:39 mark of the period as he was set up beautifully by Dallas Comeau for a backdoor tap-in of his own. The score remained deadlocked at the conclusion of regulation.
Overtime would solve nothing so for the first time this season, the Wolverines were off to a shootout. After the first two shooters for each team were denied, Dallas Comeau patiently outwaited Wolverine goalie Tye Morin and slid the puck in. Tyr Thompson would be unable to match Comeau’s goal, thus ending the game and the Wolverine’s winning streak.
The Wolverines are back in action Saturday, December 16th at 7:30 p.m. when they host the Spruce Grove Saints in their final home game before the New Year.
Scoring Summary
1st Period:
WCT Goal – 6:55 – Brayden Labant(4) from Jaedon Leslie and Liam Motley (EV)
GP Goal – 8:40 – Justin Bernier(17) from Edouard Michaud and Tyrell Boucher (PP)
WCT Goal – 11:52 – Estian Coetzee(15) from Ryley Smith and Noah Tooke (PP)
2nd Period:
No Scoring
3rd Period:
WCT Goal – 0:54 – Liam Motley12) unassisted (EV)
GP Goal – 4:48 – Parker Smyth(8) from Conner Blake and John Sullivan (EV)
GP Goal – 9:39 – Justin Bernier(18) from Dallas Comeau and Edouard Michaud (PP)
Overtime:
No Scoring
Shooutout:
GP – Justin Bernier (miss)
WCT – Ryley Smith (miss)
GP – Edouard Michaud (miss)
WCT – Estian Coetzee (miss)
GP – Dallas Comeau (goal)
WCT – Tyr Thompson (miss)
Shots – WCT 33 (7-16-7-3) GP 34 (11-6-14-3)
Power plays – WCT 1/8 GP 2/7
Goalies:
WCT – Tye Morin (5-2-1) 31sv/34sh
GP – Charles-Olivier Levesque (11-10-3) 30sv/33sh
Three Star Selection:
1. GP-Justin Bernier (2 goals)
2. WCT-Liam Motley (1 goal, 1 assist)
3. GP-Dallas Comeau (1 assist, SOW)
Hardest Working Wolverine: Brayden Labant (1 goal)
Recap presented by:
