The Weyburn Red Wings (7-16) ended a four-game losing streak and put together their second two-game winning streak of the season over the weekend.
The Weyburn Red Wings (7-16) ended a four-game losing streak and put together their second two-game winning streak of the season over the weekend.
The Wings defeated the Kindersley Klippers, who were on a four-game losing streak of their own, and the La Ronge Ice Wolves, who sit at the bottom of the Bauer Division.
The Wings opened the week on Tuesday in Notre Dame with a 3-0 loss to the Hounds. The Wings were nearly doubled in shots, being outshot 39-21, but goaltender Jean-Philippe Boucher kept the Wings in the game.
Just 50 seconds into the opening frame the Hounds got on the board, when Sam Aulie scored an even-strength marker. Catlin Foley put the Hounds up 2-0 after one period and that was all they needed, holding on for a 3-0 triumph. Goaltender Michael Salmon picked up the win and his first shut-out of the season, stopping all 21 shots he faced.
On Friday, the Red Wings were able to end their second longest losing streak of the season with a 2-1 win over the struggling Kindersley Klippers.
Ryan Cooper's first goal of the campaign opened the scoring for the Wings, with helpers from Shain Scheshcuk and Logan Skinner.
Sam Williams followed up with his sixth goal of the season four minutes later, putting the Wings up 2-0 after the first period.
The Klippers responded in the second frame, with a goal from Justin Schoffer, but that was all they could muster and the Wings held on for a 2-1 triumph.
Impressive in the win was that the top scorers, Ryan Ostertag, Sam Williams and Miguel Pereira were shut out, yet the Wings still managed to win the game.
The secondary scoring carried over to Saturday night against the La Ronge Ice Wolves, where the Red Wings skated away with a 5-2 win.
Star Ryan Ostertag opened the scoring five minutes into the contest finishing a passing play from Pereira.
Cooper scored his second of the season and second of the weekend minutes later, putting the Wings up 2-0. The lead, however, was cut in half seconds later by Wolves centre, Jason Berube. The score was 2-1 for the Wings after one frame.
In the second the Wings increases their lead with goals from Pereira and grinder Jackson Schneider. The Wings were up 4-1 after two periods.
In the third the Ice Wolves cut the lead in half with a goal from Balgonie native, Eric Macoretta. The Wings iced La Ronge less than 20 seconds later with Lane Harbor's fifth goal of the season.
In the win the Red Wings had secondary scoring which they have lacked for much of the season, getting goals from five different players. Boucher was also solid between the pipes turning away 30 of 32 shots.
The Red Wings will finish off November on Friday in Notre Dame. With a win the Wings could finish the month with a 4-4 record, which would be respectable compared to October when they went 2-9.
If the Red Wings want to get out of the basement and into a playoff spot by the new year they will have to have a spectacular December. Currently the Wings are four points behind fifth place Estevan, but have played two more games than the Bruins.
Jean-Philippe Boucher has brought stability to the Red Wings net since arriving at the end of October. He has a 2.63 goals-against-average and a .918 save percentage and a 4-4 record.
These numbers are near the top of the league and are a revelation compared to the combo of Brett Teskey and Nate Ferris to start the season, who combined for only two wins and had goals-against-averages over 4.50 and save-percentages below .880.
