Goaltender Nathan Reay picked up his first junior win and the Waywayseecappo Wolverines won a thriller in the shootout 4-3 over the Neepawa Natives on Friday night.
It wasn’t an ideal start for the Wolverines as Neepawa Natives forward Brady Whitely walked in and beat Nathan Reay on the first shot of the game, 26 seconds in.
Just seconds after the Wolverines killed off a cross-checking penalty, Anthony Bilka and Trygve Many Guns connected with Jack Kennedy who potted his fourth of the year to tie the game at 1-1.
The Wolverines would take a late penalty in the frame but were able to kill it off and escape the first period tied at ones. Waywayseecappo led the shot clock 11-10 after giving up the first goal, with Nathan Reay making a few key saves.
It was Waywayseecappo who would get off to a strong start in the second period. Coming out of the gate with speed, Austin Cardinal scored his first junior goal to give the Wolverines a 2-1 lead after he dove, knocking in the puck through Thornton’s five-hole. Both Alex Lucken and Austin’s brother Ryley made a great effort on the play, as the pair chipped in assists on the play.
A couple of minutes past the mid-way mark of the second period, Conrad Phillips made a great move in tight and tucked the puck in past Thornton to give the Wolverines a 3-1 lead. Preston Seymour made a nice play at the blue line to keep the puck in as he picked up the lone assist on Phillips fourth of the season.
Both the Wolverines the Natives would exchange chances in the third period until the mid-way point of the frame when Neepawa won a puck battle in front and squeaked one past Reay to tie the game at 3-3.
Despite opportunities on both ends of the ice, the two clubs would head to overtime deadlocked at 3-3. Shots after the third period sat in favor of the Wolverines, 36-26.
The Wolverines and Natives would trade chances in overtime, going end to end with Wolverines netminder Nathan Reay making a pair of big saves to keep the game alive.
In the shootout, both teams went back and forth with Nathan Reay stepping up to the plate making save after save to seal the 4-3 win for the Wolverines. Jack Kennedy and Alex Lucken scored for the Wolverines in the shootout.
The Wolverines would go 0 for 3 on their powerplay chances while their penalty kill unit was able to kill off all three Natives chances.
With the win, the Wolverines improve their record to 10-7-1-1. Up next for the club is a date with the Winkler Flyers on Sunday night at 6:00 in Waywayseecappo.