Weekend split for Whitecourt Wolverines

The Whitecourt Wolverines split their action this past weekend with a win and a loss. On Friday, January 17, with a home crowd of 630, the Wolverines faced the Drayton Valley Thunder. The game started off a bit slow with only one penalty and no scoring in the first period. The Thunder opened things up with two goals midway through the second period and the Wolverines notched one in with four and a half minutes to go. 

In the third period, the Wolverines scrambled in the final seconds and managed to tie things up 2-2 which sent the game into overtime. Brayden Labant was called for hooking at the halfway marker of the extra frame which resulted in a goal for the Thunder at 4:38 of the overtime period. The final for the Thunder was 3-2. The Wolverines dusted off the loss and prepared for their next game less than 24 hours later against the Camrose Kodiaks. Fans in the audience were just shy of the previous night with 623 through the door, and they had much more to cheer about.

Oddly enough, the game was decided on the powerplay as one goal was scored with the man advantage. In the first period, the Kodiaks got onto the scoreboard first after Wolverine Ben Wood was called for holding. Just past the 17-minute mark, Bryce Osepchuk tied things up with assists from Ethan Leyer and Kaleb Ergang.

In the second period, the Wolverines struck first and took the lead for the first time in the game. Unfortunately, another penalty gave the Kodiaks a chance to tie things up and they did not miss the opportunity. The second ended tied 2-2. With 20 minutes left to play, the third period featured two penalties for each team, but it was the Whitecourt Wolverines who capitalized and took the lead 3-2. Ethan Green’s powerplay goal at 14:49 of the final period would be the winning goal of the game. In terms of powerplays, the Kodiaks were two for five while the Wolverines went two for eight.

The schedule for the Whitecourt Wolverines has them on the road for the next week but they will be back at the Scott Safety Centre for two back-to-back games on Saturday, January 25 against the Lloydminster Bobcats and on Sunday, January 26 for an afternoon game with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons. They will also be at home on Tuesday, January 28 to battle the Grande Prairie Storm.