Gold Wings Manage To Take Flight

WEYBURN - In sports they say sometimes it is a matter of inches between winning and losing.

For the Weyburn Creekside Car Wash Gold Wings it was less than 24 hours when a new team took to the ice defeating the Moose Jaw Bantam A Mavericks 5 -4 in Saskatchewan Female Hockey League action on Saturday evening.

It was a game which saw the Mavericks unable to connect in the passing department and an alert Weyburn netminder being greedy and not allowing many rebounds for the Mavericks to take advantage of.

The loss wasn’t for a lack of effort but it was an evening for the Mavericks where nothing seemed to click.

The Mavericks Kaydance Ray (center) attempts to steal the puck from the Gold Wings Taylin Johnston - MJ Independent photo

First Period

The Mavericks were the first to get on the scoreboard when Kaydance Ray came down the right wing and took a wrist hand over Weyburn netminder’s Karley Martin’s shoulder on the blocker side. Time of the unassisted goal was 16:51.

The Mavericks’ only lead of the game lasted just under five minutes as the Gold Wings managed to tie the game up. After a couple of shots which did not go in Carolyn Weisgerber took a shot from the tip of the circle scoring at 11:53. The assist went to Mallory Lang.

The Gold Wings took the lead when Kailey Malden took a shot from the point which Sara Umana stopped but Delaney Knoll was able to backhand in a big rebound at 4:33.

Weyburn would find itself penalized when Zolyn Johston would skate in on the penalty kill and score an unassisted goal at 3:56 giving the home squad a two goal lead as they flooded the ice.

Weyburn’s netminder Karley Martin gave up one of her rare rebounds of the night recovered by the Gold Wings defense - MJ Independent photo

Second Period

Scoring wise the second period belonged to the Mavericks - in reality it was a period where the Gold Wings had their opportunities to put the game away but failed to do so.

At 13:31 Ray would take a pair of close in shots and score an unassisted goal. The league’s scoring leader racked up her tenth goal of the season.

At 6:47 Kiana Hrechka would take a shot close in along the ice and score with the assist going to Ray.

Sara Umana makes the save with Jordan Hughes unable to capitalize on the rebound - MJ Independent photo

Third Period

Weyburn would retake the lead at the 9:32 mark when Johnston would skate in close and put it past Umana. The assist went to Meaghen Weger.

The Mavericks would tie the game once again on a wrist shot by Katryna Mattern at 7:39 with the assist going to Stevenson.

With a tie or win in their sites Marlin would give up a big rebound to Denise Cheeseman only to have the Weyburn netminder make her biggest save of the game in what looked to be a game winning goal with about 3:50 left in the game.

In the ensuing play Weyburn would skate down the ice with Meldan skating in close on the left wing and scoring the game winner past a sprawling Umana at 3:00. The assist went to Emily Quigley.

Karley Martin makes a save and holds onto the rebound with the Mavericks’ Arlie Fleet waiting for a rebound - MJ Independent photo

Post Game

Head coach Jeremy Howe said it was not the Mavericks night from the start to the finish.

“It started with a really bad warmup and continued into the first period,” Howe said. “We were not supporting the puck throughout the game.”

In the end he said the winner was decided by the team who wanted it more.

“They came out hungrier than us tonight.”

The Mavericks game just did not seem to click with the team unable to make key plays and passes which he typified as “bad decisions” on the ice.”

With the Mavericks having problems making key passing plays Martin in the Weyburn net shutdown most rebounds and seemed to be a different player compared to Friday evening’s game in Moose Jaw.

“Their goalie did not give us many chances.”

At Monday evening’s practice he said the team would be working on their passes and making the smart plays to win games.