SWHL This Week; Week 10

A busy first weekend of 2024 for the Sask West Hockey League (SWHL) resulted in some movement in the standings. The Wilkie Outlaws continue to lead the league with a 12-0 record. The Kindersley Sr Klippers sit second with an 8-4 record, followed by a tie for third with the Hafford Hawks (7-6) and the Biggar Nationals (6-5-2). The Macklin Mohawks sit in fifth spot with a 5-6-1 record. Rounding things out are the Edam 3 Stars (4-6-1) and the Unity Miners (1-11-1). 

On Sunday afternoon, the Hafford Hawks hosted the Wilkie Outlaw and in a spirited affair, it was the visitors leaving with the 7-4 victory. 

Jorden Braid got the home team on the board first just 48 seconds into the contest, but Saskatoon Blades legend Ryan Keller quickly tied it up at 1 on the power play. Rory Gregoire then scored four minutes later to put the Outlaws up 2-1, with Derek Keller extending the lead a minute after that. Braid would score his second of the night at the 6:29 mark of the period to cut the lead to 3-2, which is how it stood after one period. Scoring was quiet in the middle frame with just one goal, a power play marker from Brett Boehm, his tenth goal of the year. The penalty kill continued to fail the Hawks in the third as Gregoire’s second and hattrick goals came on the powerplay, giving Wilkie a big 6-2 lead. Andrew Galambos and Kobe Kindrachuk would chip away the lead, but Gregoire would tie a bow on the win with an empty net goal in the final seconds of the game. 

Jared Herle secured the win, stopping 20 of 24 shots, while Joel Gryzbowski took the loss, stopping 37 of 44 shots. 

On Saturday Night, the Kindersley Sr Klippers travelled north to the Shingledome to play the Unity Miners, and it was the Klippers leaving town with a big 4-1 victory. 

Lane Gilliss opened the scoring at the 11:56 mark of the first off a wild deflection, beating new Miners goaltender Bryan Bridges. Carson Grolla then beat Bridges again just a minute later, then Damon McKenzie fired a laser from the slot to extend the lead to 3-0. In the second period, Shayne Neigum's 6th of the year made it a 4-0 lead before Garrin Scherr's power play goal cut the lead to 4-1. No scoring occurred in the third to preserve the win for the road team. 

Logan Drackett took the win, stopping 30 of 31 shots, while Bridges was spectacular in the loss, stopping 35 of 39 shots. 

Also on Saturday, the Biggar Nationals headed north to Hafford for the long-awaited home opener for the Hawks. The home fans left happy as Hafford secured a 5-4 overtime victory. 

Keaton Haynes was the lone goal scorer of the first, giving the Nats the 1-0 lead after 20 minutes of play. In the middle frame, it was a scoring bonanza as Derek Nicholls' first of the year gave Biggar the 2-0 lead. However, Jarden Braid got the Hawks on the board on the power play, followed by Jeremy Boyer's seventh of the year to tie the game up at 2. Taylor Bucsis scored just two minutes later to give the Nats the lead back, and Chris Henry extended the lead to 4-2 with his goal a minute after that. Kyle Litchenwald's seventh of the year cut the deficit to 4-3, which is how it stood after 40 minutes. The lone goal of the third period was an important one, as Kyle Ireland fired a power play shot past Nats goaltender Brett Matlock to tie the game up at 4.  

In overtime, and on the power play due to a Nats too many players penalty, it was Ireland who secured the victory. 

Matlock was once again amazing in the OTL, stopping 62 of 67 shots, while Joel Gryzbowski took the win stopping 31 of 35 shots. 

The other game in the north on Saturday occurred at the Edam Arena as the 3 Stars opened the doors to the Macklin Mohawks. It was the visitors who left with the 3-2 victory. 

Macklin took the lead early in the game off the stick of Jetlen Houcher, which they held after 20 minutes. In the second period, new roster addition David Dziurzynski scored to tie the game at 1, which held after 40 minutes. In the final period, brother Darian gave the 3 Stars the 2-1 lead, but that only held for a minute as Cody Mckinnon scored on the power play to tie the game back up at 2. Spencer Bast's fifth of the year proved to be the game winner as he scored with 3 minutes left to seal the victory. 

Trevor Martin filed the win stopping 29 of 31 shots, while Taryn Kotchorek took the loss stopping 37 of 40 shots. 

On Friday night, the Klippers welcomed the Mohawks into the West Central Events Centre, and the hometown team walked away with a 4-1 win. 

It was a quiet first period with no goals and both goaltenders looking good. Just 1:45 into the second period, the goose egg finally broke as Lane Gilliss scored to give Kindersley the 1-0 lead, Logan Stephanson's first of the year on the power play extended the lead to 2-0, and just before time expired, Damon McKenzie added to the lead, making it 3-0 after 40 minutes. In the third, Jared Hillis broke up the shutout with his third of the year of the power play, but a shorthanded marker from Stephanson upped the lead to three, which is how it ended. 

Trevor Martin took the loss, stopping 28 of 32 shots, while Logan Drackett secured the W, stopping 25 of 26 shots. 

Also, on Friday night the Miners welcomed in the Wilkie Outlaws. Unfortunately, the Miners were caught in the buzzsaw, losing 10-5. 

Brett Boehm got the scoring festival going, with Brett Schell scoring just 39 seconds later for an early 2-0 lead. Brandt Bertoia would score a minute after that, with Adam Shirley tying the game up at 2 on the power play. Hunter Sperle’s third of the year did give the Miners the 3-2 advantage, but Blake Young tied it back up at 3 just two minutes after that. Rob Cey then gave the Outlaws the 4-3 lead, and just as the buzzer was ready to ring, Andrew Herle poked one in to give Wilkie the 5-3 lead after one period. 

The second period was all Outlaws as Young scored twice more, Boehm adding his second of the game and Ryne Keller adding to the lead. The scoreboard read 9-3 after two periods. In the final frame, Brock Harrison added onto the lead even more. Brayden Schultz and Adam Shirley did reply for the home team to salvage the game a little bit.  

Jared Herle stopped 24 of 29 shots for the win, while Ryan Rewerts stopped 48 of 58 shots in the loss. 

Up north on Friday, the Edam 3 Stars finally held their home opener, opening the doors to the Biggar Nationals, with the home team enjoying the 4-1 win. 

In the first, the team exchanged goals, with Brady Deobald opening the scoring. Jonathon Redlich replied with just 2:23 left in the period. In the second period, Darian Dziurzynski scored early, giving the 3 Stars the 2-1 lead. Just a minute later, Joel Blaquiere’s fifth of the year extended the lead to 3-1, which stood after 40 minutes. With the Nationals pressing and on the power play, Joel Blaquiere sealed the victory with a shorthanded, empty net marker with 1:17 left. 

Brett Matlock took the loss, stopping 44 of 47 shots, while Taryn Kotchorek took the win stopping 29 of 30 shots. 

Jonathon Redlich has found the fountain of youth this year. He currently sits second in the league in points and leads the league in scoring. He is a huge part of the resurgence of the Biggar Nationals.  

Eight games are on the docket for the week ahead. On Wednesday night, Wilkie travels to Edam. On Friday, Wilkie hosts Macklin, Biggar travels to Unity and Hafford hosts Edam. On Saturday, Kindersley hosts Biggar, Macklin travels to Hafford and Edam hosts Unity. The Sunday matinee as Wilkie hosting Kindersley.