Exhibition play is complete, it’s time to play for keeps

 

The Whitecourt Wolverines have wrapped up exhibition play and are gearing up for the 2017/2018 season with high hopes for another long run into the post. They started off the week with their first home game of the pre-season against the Lloydminster Bobcats on September 5. Even though the Cats managed to get onto the board first it was the home team that took the win with a commanding 6-2 victory.

The very next day the boys hit the road to tackle the Bobcats in their own barn. After a scoreless first period, Lloyd notched one in to take the early lead but just a couple of minutes later Carson Romeril tied it up. Before the end of the second, the Cats scored another making it 2-1 and with just nine seconds into the final frame, they added another making it 3-1. The Wolverines managed to strike back to tie it but ultimately it would be the Cats who took the game with a 5-3 final.

Back to Whitecourt they go. On Friday, September 8, the Wolverines took on Grande Prairie Storm at the Scott Safety Centre and jumped out to an early 3-0 lead. Just as quickly as the goals came for the home boys, they also came in for the visitors and fans were in disbelief to see a tie game with seven minutes still to play in the first.

Each team notched a goal in the second making it 4-4 heading into the third. With less than a minute left in regulation and with overtime seemingly looming, Jaedon Leslie scored to make it 5-4 which would stand as the game winner for the Wolverines.

The final game of the pre-season took place Saturday night on the road in Grande Prairie. The Storm scored the lone goal in the first and pegged in another in the second.  Liam Motley got the Wolverines onto the board with 15:09 left to go in the period and Marc-Antoine Benoit slipped one past the GP net minder with 2:50 left in the third.  Unfortunately, the Storm proved a bit too powerful and took the win 5-2.

The Wolverines end pre-season play with a record of 4-3-0. Get ready fans because the first game of the season is upon us! Friday, September 15 at 7:30 p.m. is the home opener against the Spruce Grove Saints and is sure to be a rumble. Fill up the Scott Safety Centre and yell loud. Go Wolverines!