The Waywayseecappo Wolverines and Virden Oil Capitals have played each other eight times over the course of the 2021-22 season, as one does when two division rivals face off.
But when half of the eight games were played in each team’s first four games of the season, it might not tell an exact picture of what we can expect before their first round series.
The two teams played their first four games of the season against each other, before not playing again until February. By the time the two teams played again, both teams went through big changes and were different teams.
But here we are looking over the Wolverines-Oil Capitals season series which was split evenly down the middle.
September 17th – Wolverines 5-2
In the Oil Capitals home opener, Virden got off to a good start by scoring twice in the opening frame.
The Oil Capitals dominance continued in the second, outshooting the Wolverines 15-5, but they were unable to get one past Liam Tereposky.
But in the third, the Wolverines exploded offensively. Reese Malkewich scored 1:37 into the period to cut the deficit in half. Then it was Josh Peppler on the powerplay to tie it up.
Lonan Bulger ended up getting the game winner at 11:42 in the period to put the Wolverines up by one. The Wolverines got two more to get their first win of the season.
September 18th – Wolverines 5-1
Waywayseecappo had another big third period, and the Wolverines skated off in their home opener with a 5-1 win.
The Wolverines entered the third period with a 2-1 lead, but put it away with a Josh Peppler shorthanded goal.
Even though it was close on the scoreboard until the last half of the third period, the Oil Capitals only put 19 shots on net as Liam Tereposky stopped 18 of them.
Waywayseecappo started the season 2-0.
September 24th – Wolverines win 7-2
The Paplawski brothers put up five combined points as the Wolverines offence put up another high score in a 7-2 win.
Waywayseecappo got out to a 3-0 lead after the first period, and then was up 4-0 in the second period.
The Wolverines had seven different scorers on the night, as they improved to 3-0.
They had put up 17 goals in their first three games and all on Oil Capitals goaltenders.
September 25th – Oil Capitals 7-4
After three games of only scoring a combined five goals, Virden exploded in the fourth game of the season-opening series .
The Oil Capitals chased Liam Tereposky from the net midway through the game after scoring five goals on 25 shots.
After going down 6-0 in the opening minutes of the third period, the Wolverines actually started a little bit of a comeback, cutting the lead to 6-3.
But an Evan Groening goal with 4:30 left to go was the finishing touches for the Oil Capitals who got their first win of the season.
February 15th – Oil Capitals 10-3
With none of their usual goalies dressed, the Wolverines fell 10-3 to the Oil Capitals in their first matchup since September.
Carson Buydens and Braden Fischer both scored two goals in the game.
The Oil Capitals and Wolverines played back and forth hockey for the first period and a bit in the second, before Virden just kept on scoring.
It was the 5-3 goal by Buydens that basically iced the game from there for the Oil Capitals.
March 3rd – Oil Capitals 5-4 (SO)
In a game that looked very familiar with the opening game of the season, the Oil Capitals got out to a hot start, but the Wolverines came back, just this time they only got a point instead of the win.
Virden got out to a 3-0 lead after the first period, and they kept that lead for most of the second until the last 38 seconds, when Andrew Boucher and then Reagan Rabbit for the Wolverines two late goals.
Just 16 seconds into the third, Lonan Bulger tied the game.
Colin Cook scored later to give the Oil Capitals another lead, but Kolton Shindle tied it up late in regulation.
After nothing in overtime, the Oil Capitals picked up the second point in a shootout, scoring on both attempts and Bailey Monteith stopping both shots.
March 4th – Wolverines 5-2
The Wolverines put on another excellent third period against the Oil Capitals and came out with a 5-2 win.
The teams were tied heading into the third at 2-2, but three goals in the last half of the third period by Andrew Boucher and Joey Moffatt twice put the Wolverines on top.
The Wolverines won three of four home games against Virden with their only loss in game where they had no regular goalies.
March 6th – Oil Capitals 6-2
After a tied first period, the Oil Capitals put up three goals in the second to get out to a 4-2 lead and finish it off with a 6-2 win.
Carson Buydens had four goals in the game in the Oil Capitals most dominant performance against the Wolverines at the Tundra Oil & Gas Place.
It was the Oil Capitals second third period they won in the season series. It also gave Virden a 3-1 record on home ice against the Wolverines.