SJHL - The final regular season weekend of the Sask West Hockey League (SWHL) held some value for some teams, with others solidifying their positions. The Hafford Hawks sit on top with a 10-2-1 record. The Wilkie Outlaws and the Kindersley Sr Klippers are tied with a 9-2-1 record, but by virtue of a tiebreaker, the Outlaws will get second place. In fourth is the Edam 3 Stars with a 6-4-1 record, followed by the Macklin Mohawks with a 5-7 record. In sixth is the Biggar Nationals with a 2-7-2 record, followed by the Unity Miners with a 0-10-2 record.
On Jan. 27, in a rescheduled game from Jan. 24, the Edam 3 Stars would host the Biggar Nationals. Results were not available at the time of publication.
The Biggar Nationals hosted the Wilkie Outlaws, with the away team leaving with the 6-3 victory on Jan. 26.
It was all Outlaws in the first period, with Rick Cey opening the scoring early for a 1-0 lead. In the back half of the period, Blake Young and Rory Gregoire (on the extra man advantage) would extend the lead to 3-0 after 20 minutes. Jonathon Redlick would break up the goose egg at the 12:04 mark of the second period to cut the deficit to 3-1, but Ryne Keller’s third goal of the year would give Wilkie the 4-1 lead after two periods. Gregoire would extend that lead early in the final frame, before Dylan Haynes and Brett Novak would each score to cut the lead to 5-3. Brett Boehm would score with 7:16 left to add insurance for the victory.
Curtis Sander stopped 29 of 32 shots for the win, while Brett Matlock stopped 47 of 53 shots in the loss.
On Jan. 25, the Unity Miners headed north for the tilt against the Edam 3 Stars, with Edam securing the 8-3 victory.
Davis Chorney would give the Miners the early 1-0 lead, but Keegan Tiringer and Cody Danberg would score a power play goal each for a 3 Stars 2-1 lead after the first period. Chorney would tie things up at two before Edam would open things up with Tiringer, Braxton Letwinetz and Jordan Fransoo (shorthanded) all scoring to give them a 5-2 lead after 40 minutes. The scoring barrage continued into the third, with Connor Managre, J. Fransoo and Tiringer each finding the back of the net for an 8-1 lead. Colby Ralston would round out scoring.
Ryan Rewerts took the loss, stopping 37 of 45 shots, while Taryn Kotchorek stopped 25 of 28 shots in the win.
The Hafford Hawks welcomed the Macklin Mohawks, with the Hawks taking the 7-5 win, also on Jan. 25.
Brandon Lesko scored the first two goals of the game, with Zane Florence following suit for a 3-0 lead. Spencer Bast would cut the lead down to 3-1 after 20 minutes. Jeremy Boyer would extend the lead up to three again, however, Spencer Bast and Ian Hillis would cut that lead down to 4-3. Kyle Rivett would score to give Hafford the important 5-3 lead after two periods. Tyler Baier’s power play goal at the 10:25 mark of the third period would cut the deficit down to one again. Andrew Galambos’s second and third of the year would give Hafford the 3-goal lead yet again. Tyler Baier would round out scoring.
Trevor Martin stopped 30 of 37 shots in the loss, while Joel Gryzbowski stopped 25 of 30 shots to secure the win.
Provincials also got underway, Jan. 26 for the Unity Miners as they headed south for Game 1 of the Senior ‘C’ matchup against the Eston Ramblers. Eston won 6-1.
The playoffs are officially set with the Hafford Hawks getting the bye. The 2 vs 7 matchup will pit the Wilkie Outlaws against the Unity Miners. The 3 vs 6 matchup sees the Kindersley Sr Klippers playing the Biggar Nationals. In the 4 vs 5 matchup, the Edam 3 Stars and Macklin Mohawks will play each other.
