An unenthusiastic effort in the first and third period sunk the Waywayseecappo Wolverines on Thursday night in Virden as the Oil Capitals came away with a 3-2 victory.
It was a quick start to the first period for the Virden Oil Capitals as they were able to connect on a 2 on 1 just 1:55 into the first when Austin Johnson beat a sprawling Isaac LaBelle.
Virden controlled much of the play in the first period as they were able to hem the Wolverines in their own end, outshooting Waywayseecappo 12-4 after twenty minutes of play.
The Wolverines would get an early powerplay chance in the second, but couldn’t quite get set up as the Oil Caps’ did a great job of defending. Moments after the powerplay expired, Kolten Kanaski would beat Isaac LaBelle on an unassisted marker to give Virden a 2-0 lead with his 21st goal of the season.
After the Oil Caps’ took their fourth penalty of the period, the Wolverines would make them pay. Gerrick Ripley stormed in down the right wing on the powerplay and ripped a wrist shot over the shoulder of Dalton Dosch which would cut the Wolverines deficit to 2-1. Alex Lucken and Dylan Soosay chipped in on the helpers.
Much like the first period, the Wolverines got off to a slow start in the third. Hunter Cloutier scored 4:36 into the final twenty, giving the Oil Capitals a 3-1 lead. The Wolverines kicked up the effort in the final ten and Alex Lucken scored with five seconds to go, but the comeback would fall short as Virden would take a 3-2 victory.
The Wolverines powerplay would go 1 for 6 while getting outshot 38-26 through sixty minutes.
Now 15-18-2-2 on the season, the Wolverines have a busy weekend ahead with a road trip to Portage on Saturday night before welcoming the same Terriers to Waywayseecappo on Sunday night.