Wolverines score early lead in first playoff series

The AJHL playoffs have officially begun for the Whitecourt Wolverines. Their first-round opponent, the Grande Prairie Storm, bussed down to Whitecourt on Friday for games one and two of their best-of-seven matchup. Six hundred and nineteen eager and excited fans attended game one on March 10 at the Scott Safety Centre.

The Whitecourt Wolverines kicked off their first playoff round, scoring first at 6:51 of the opening period. The goal by Colby Browne, assisted by Jack Franklin and Aiden Long, whipped fans into a frenzy as cheer sticks banging together echoed through the arena. Six minutes later, the excitement level lowered considerably as the Grande Prairie Storm scored not once but twice, ending the first period with a 2-1 lead.

In the second period, the Wolverines were hungry. They skated hard, moved the puck quickly and had great chances to get it in the net, but nothing could make it through. With eight minutes left in the frame and on the powerplay after an interference call against the Storm, the Wolverines scored. To the shock of fans, it was called off almost immediately.

Within the same two-minute powerplay, the Wolverines scored again, and again it was waved off. Fans were bewildered. Shouts of “come on, refs” and loud boooo’s could be heard from one corner of the stands to the other. It was not a good time to be a zebra. Fans stood up, shouting down to the ice surface, and players were visibly agitated to have goals clawed back.

Shortly after the two disallowed goals, Wolverine Goalie Lochlan Gordon brought fans to their feet. It wasn’t for a great save but rather a wicked right hook. Following a save, a Storm player got a little bit too poky with his stick as he attempted to free the puck from Gordon’s grasp. Once the whistle blew, Gordon got to his feet and clocked him. Wolverine Tanner Komzak got a shot in, too, for a proper one-two punch.

In the third, fans watched as the agitation between the Wolverines and Storm players grew and grew. Nearly each whistle blast resulted in a bit of pushing and shoving, but the only penalty of the period was a tripping call against the Storm. With 51 seconds to go, Cooper Smyl, flanked by Caleb MacDonald and Tanner Komzak, riffled the puck through the Storm goalie’s pads, tying things up. Fans went nuts!

The final buzzer sounded with the teams locked at 2-2. It almost took the entire overtime to end the game and crown a winner. At 15:54 of the extra frame, the man that started it all ended it. Colby Browne scored the game’s opener and the winning overtime goal giving the Wolverines victory over the Storm.

The very next night, Saturday, March 11, was game two, and Ben Charette was in net for the Wolverines. After a close call the night before, as exciting as it was, the Wolverines wanted to come out swinging and try to put the game to bed as early as possible. One minute and twenty seconds into the game, Tanner Klimpke lit up the goal light. The 624 fans in attendance loved it and wanted more. Roughly four minutes later, Jonah Bevington scored his first of the playoffs, assisted by Daniel North, making it 2-0 for the hometown team.

Still in the first period, Michael Lovsin joined the ranks of playoff scorers, nagging his first at 12:58, unassisted. After the first period of play, the Wolverines had taken a commanding lead over their rivals and headed into the first intermission with a 3-0 lead.

In the second period, the Wolverines had two early powerplays after the Storm were called for holding and roughing. No goals came of either powerplay. Halfway through the period, at 12:53, Colby Browne, Mr. Hot Hands from the previous night’s game, scored his third goal of the playoffs, assisted by Aiden Long. It was 4-0 for the Wolverines!

In the third and final period, the Storm attempted a comeback, scoring in the last few minutes, making it 4-1, but they couldn’t catch the Wolverines. The next two games will occur in Grande Prairie at the Bonnetts Energy Centre on Tuesday, March 14 and Wednesday, March 15. If necessary, game five would take place in Whitecourt on Friday, March 17, and game six would be in Grande Prairie on Sunday, March 19. Should the series require a game seven, it would be in Whitecourt on Wednesday, March 22. Let’s go, Wolverines!