Week 4 of the Sask West Hockey League (SWHL) schedule wrapped up as of November 19th. The Wilkie Outlaws continue to lead the league with a 5-0 record. The Kindersley Sr Klippers sit in second place with a 4-1 record, with the Biggar Nationals behind them at 3-3. The Edam 3 Star follow in 4th with a 2-2 record, and the Hafford Hawks sit in 5th with a 1-3 record. Bringing up the rear is the Unity Miners (0-2-1) and the Macklin Mohawks (0-3).
There was meant to be a game played Sunday afternoon at the SaskCan Community Centre between the Wilkie Outlaws and Macklin Mohawks, but it needed to be postponed due to mechanical issues involving equipment at the arena.
Saturday night the Biggar Nationals welcomed the Edam 3 Stars to the Jubilee Stadium and kept the win in house with a 5-1 decision.
Tristan Derenoski opened the scoring at the 17:38 mark of the 1st, but Jonathon Redlich answered, and the teams went to the dressing room tied at 1. In the second, the Redlich show continued performing, scoring all three goals in the second and giving the Nationals the big 4-1 lead after 40 minutes. A garbage time goal gave the home team the decisive victory.
Nats goaltender Brett Matlock continues his stellar start to the season with another outstanding performance in net, while 3 Stars goaltender Taryn Kotchorek made 21 saves in the loss.
Also on Saturday night, a heavy weight tilt between the Kindersley Sr Klippers and the Macklin Mohawks at the West Central Events Centre was expected but fizzled out a little, as the Klippers won handedly 6-1. Despite the weird shot total (49-22 Mohawks), it was the shorthanded Klippers who held play all game long, making great use of their limited shots.
John Calkins scored just 37 seconds into the game, adding a second on the power play in the later stages of the 1st. Shayne Neigum scored with 1:32 left and the hometown team took a 3-0 lead into the locker room after 20 minutes. The barrage continued as Troy Boisjoli scored early in the 2nd to make it 4-0. Calkins’ hat trick goal and Lane Gilliss’ third of the year extended the lead and chased Mohawks starter Trevor Martin from the cage. Owen Bosch took over duties for the rest of the game. Macklin was able to break the goose egg with 1:37 left in the middle frame as Carson Pickett fired a shot past Klippers tender Logan Drackett to make it a 6-1 game.
The third period didn’t have any scoring but plenty of pleasantry exchanging and some heavy play.
The lone Friday game had the Unity Miners barging into the Jube in Biggar to play the Nationals, and it was the home team coming out on top with a 3-2 overtime victory.
The scoring party didn’t get started until the early second period as Garrin Scherr scored to give the visitors the 1-0 lead, but Haydon McMahon countered, and the teams went back to the dressing rooms tied once again, this time at 1. The teams waited until magic hour before they started scoring again, with Taylor Bucsis finding twine to give Unity a 2-1 lead with 4:18 remaining. Just 39 seconds after that, Brett Novak answered and tying the game at 2. In the 5-minute extra frame, it was Ryan Novacosky who sent the fans home happy, potting the winner with 2:10 left.
We can’t praise Nationals goalie Brett Matlock enough, as he has a 3-3 record so far with a 2.98 Goals against average and a sparkling .926 save percentage. His team is an abysmal 3 for 25 on the Power play (12%) but has only allowed 3 power play goals on 27 penalty kills (88.89%).
Three games on tap for the upcoming weekend of action, as the Macklin Mohawks host the Unity Miners on Friday. The Miners travel to Wilkie on Saturday, and Mohawks host the Hafford Hawks on Saturday.
