Wolverines kick off the post-season against the Lloydminster Bobcats

 

The Whitecourt Wolverines have entered the playoffs like lions after roaring ahead of the Lloydminster Bobcats with two commanding wins at home. By finishing third in the AJHL North, the Wolverines have clinched home ice advantage which means even more than usual when you consider that during the regular season series between both clubs, the home team always won.

On Thursday, March 8 the Bobcats pulled their bus into the Scott Safety Centre parking lot ready to kick off the post-season. Liam Motley opened the scoring early on thanks to a powerplay and, just under 10 minutes later, Estian Coetzee scored on another power play giving them a quick 2-0 lead. In the second, the two scorers from the first period assisted on a goal from Ryan Grant bringing the lead to 3-0, a mere 30 seconds into the period.

The Bobcats managed to tally in a couple and get themselves to within one of a tie but in the third period Brayden Labant, assisted by the same pair that started things off earlier in the game, Motley and Coetzee, added in the games final goal making it 4-2 Wolverines.

After a night’s rest, both teams were back at it again for game two on Friday, March 9. Very quickly on it was clear that the Wolverines were in it to win it. An early powerplay for the home boys resulted in a goal by Estian Coetzee giving the Wolverines the lead 1-0. Closer to the end of the period, Ben Evanish tallied one past the Bobcats netminder thanks to a nice pass from Spencer Bast making it 2-0.

Jude Butler scored the lone goal in the second period and Tanner Foster added in another on the power play in the third making it a 4-0 final for the Wolverines. The Bobcats tried to get on the board, but Xavier Potvin wasn’t having it and stopped all 20 shots that came his way taking the shutout and the Viterra Home Star of the game title. Though the third period didn’t have much action goal wise, it certainly didn’t go without action in general as there were countless penalties dealt out to both teams. In total, 18 were handed out in the third period alone.

Game five in the series, if needed, is slated for Wednesday, March 14 at the Scott Safety Centre. Go, Wolverines!