Another exciting week of the Sask West Hockey League (SWHL) has come to an end, with the Wilkie Outlaws finding themselves in a familiar spot. They sit on the top of the table with a 4-1 record, followed by the Macklin Mohawks with a 3-1 record. The Edam 3 stars and the Hafford Hawks are tied with an identical 2-1 record. Sitting in fifth is the Kindersley Sr Klippers with a 1-1 record. The Biggar Nationals (0-3-1) and the Unity Miners (0-3) bring up the rear.
On Nov. 29, one of the marquee matchups of the season happened at the SaskCan Community Centre as the Wilkie Outlaws battled the Edam 3 Stars, with the Outlaws coming out on top 6-3.
Edam opened the scoring at the 14:11 mark of the first period thanks to Tristan Derenoski’s second goal of the year. Mike Sittler and Brock Harrison would respond for the home side two minutes apart, leaving the scoreboard reading 2-1 Outlaws after 20 minutes. Rory Gregoire would extend that lead to three, however, the white-hot Keegan Tiringer’s eighth (!!!) of the year cut it back to 3-2. Rick Cey’s fourth goal of the year on the power play would open the lead back up to two goals, which held after 40 minutes. In the final frame, Joel Blaquiere would score on the power play to once again cut the lead to one goal. In the later stages of the period, Derek Keller and Brett Schell scored 38 seconds apart to tie a bow on the victory.
Taryn Kotchorek took the loss, stopping 41 of 47 shots, while Jared Herle scores the win, stopping 35 of 38 shots.
Also on Nov. 29, the Macklin Mohawks welcomed the Hafford Hawks, but it was the visitors spoiling the night, taking a 5-3 win.
Scoring was scarce in the first 40 minutes, with Clay Casavant giving the Hawks a 1-0 score early in the first period. That held all the way until the 16:25 mark of the second, when Tyler Baier scored his first of the year to tie it up. In the third period, the flood gates opened, with Spencer Bast scoring a shorthanded marker to put the Mohawks up 2-1. Brandon Lesko and Jeremy Boyer would respond in short order to restore the one goal Hawks lead. Hunter Steinhubel would tie it back up at three. Quinton Cubbon would score with 5:13 left to give Hafford the 4-3 lead, with Boyer adding an empty net goal to secure the win.
Joel Gryzbowski took the win, stopping 23 of 26 shots, while Owen Bosch took the loss, stopping 24 of 28 shots.
The next night, the Macklin Mohawks headed east to visit the Unity Miners, with the Mohawks coming away with the 8-5 win.
Carson Pickett opened the scoring on the power play, but David Dzuirzynski would tie it up very quickly after. Davis Chorney would put the home team up; however, Pickett fired his second of the period (on the power play) to tie it back up at two. Darian Dziurzynski didn’t wait long in the middle frame, scoring just 1:08 into the frame, putting Unity up 3-2. Ian Hillis would score on the power play to tie it right back up at three. Danial Hilsendager would once again give the Miners the one goal lead. Jared Hillis would tie it up again on the power play, with Spencer Bast finally giving the Mohawks their first lead of the game late in the period. In the third, Hunter Steinhubel would score his third of the year to extend the lead to 6-4, but Darian’s second goal of the evening would claw the Miners back to within one goal. It was as close as they would get as Jesse Gartner and Steinhubel scored to finish up the game.
Trevor Martin secured the win, stopping 30 of 35 shots, while Brett Vanderveer took the loss, stopping 28 of 36 shots.
Two games are slated for Dec. 6 - 8 weekend, seeing Unity travelling to Biggar at 8:30 p.m. on Friday night, and Macklin travelling to Kindersley for an 8 p.m. Saturday night game.
