Opp and Wenig contribute to Carrot River Outback Thunder's defense

Kaden Opp and Tyrell Wenig are more comfortable on the ice their second time around with the Carrot River Outback Thunder.

The two 19-year-olds are contributing in their second seasons with the Prairie Junior Hockey League team. Wenig is playing on the Outback Thunder blue line. Opp is competing mostly at forward after playing defence earlier in his career.

“Definitely a bit more comfortable after you have a year in the same league under your belt,” Opp said of his second season.

The Outback Thunder earned three out of a possible four points at home last weekend. They downed the Saskatoon Royals, 5-2, on Saturday and fell in overtime to the PJHL-leading Saskatoon Quakers, 4-3. When asked about what made his team successful, Trevor Logan, the head coach, said:

“Willingness to drive the net and get to the dirty areas, a blue collar work ethic, discipline, and our goalies making big saves at big times. That is the recipe we need pretty much every night to be our best and consistently win games in this league.”

With a 13-12-7 record, the Outback Thunder are fifth in the PJHL’s Bob Dybvig Division. They are striving for a strong regular season finish and post-season run.

“Unfortunately, we haven’t come together as often as we would have liked this year, but I am a firm believer that it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,” Logan said. “If the team that showed up on the weekend keeps showing up for a couple months we will surprise some people.”

This week the Outback Thunder are on the road. They play in Prince Albert on Friday and visit the Delisle Chiefs on Sunday. Carrot River’s next home game is Feb. 4 against the West Central Rage.

The 6-foot-3, 173-pound Wenig is from Weldon. The son of Darrel and Janet Wenig has four points in 26 games this season. Logan described him as a defensive defenceman.

“Many nights you won’t notice anything too flashy, but you also won’t notice many glaring errors,” the head coach said. “Night in and night out he’s just a steady hand and that’s an important piece every team has a need for.”

The 5-foot-9, 175-pound son of Nipawin’s Darren and Tessa Opp does not shy away from the physical side of the game. Opp has a team high of 118 penalty minutes.

“Opper plays a very physical game for his size, maybe some nights too much so, but that’s just his nature. He wants to battle and compete,” Logan said. “It’s rare to have a guy his size playing the role of intimidator but he has earned that by his willingness to battle with anyone in the league regardless of size.”

Opp has recorded three points this season in 26 games. He also scored his first PJHL goal. Logan said that Opp has learned how to use his speed to move pucks up the ice and create offence with a quick attack, Logan said.

He has enjoyed his two seasons with the Outback Thunder.

“The best part would be the fan support. There’s not another team that has crowds like Carrot River does,” said Opp, who is working for his hometown Co-op Agro Centre.

Outback Thunder 5, Royals 2

With three goals in the second period on Jan. 20, the Outback Thunder took control of their home game against the Royals. Carrot River had trailed 1-0 at the end of the first period. They led 3-2 after the second session and added two more goals, including an empty net marker, in the third.

Kyle Njaa led the Outback Thunder with two goals and three points. The Birch Hills product leads the team with 36 points (one more than Austin Linnen’s 35) and 17 goals (one more than Justin Cay’s 16). Against the Royals, Zack Spray, Kieran Dayson and Connor Tuffs also scored. Devin Gerwing and Cody Chasse each had two assists.

Saskatoon netminder Jaedon McKinley faced 41 Outback Thunder shots and stopped 37. Rookie Tyson Byman made 33 saves on 35 shots. Logan said that Byman has been really solid since joining the team in December and is getting stronger every week.

“The things I really like about his play is he battles, he never gives up on a puck and his rebound control is very solid,” the head coach said.

Quakers 4, O. Thunder 3 OT

In front of the home crowd, the Outback Thunder scored two third period goals to force overtime on Jan. 21. Although the Quakers’ Cole Young scored in the extra session to give his team a 4-3 win, the Outback Thunder picked up a point in the standings. After the second period, the hosts trailed 3-1 but fought back.

Spray, Cay and Linnen scored for Carrot River. Kolton Holmen made 35 saves. His Saskatoon counterpart, Austin Swystun, stopped 47 shots.