The Winkler Flyers came up one goal short on Friday night, falling 3-2 to the visiting Waywayseecappo Wolverines. Eric Fawkes and Alex Cattani both scored for the Flyers who saw their six game winning streak on home ice come to an end.
Having already clinched third place in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League Standings, the Flyers used Friday’s game to rest a number of their 20 year old veterans. Captain Jaden Townsend as well as Assistant Captains Griffin Leonard and Everett Bestland, along with defenseman Garrett Szeremley were all not in the line up for the Orange and Black with the start of the MJHL post-season just two weeks away.
Despite that, the Flyers got off to a great start and spent much of the first period in the Waywayseecappo zone. Just 6:38 into the game, Eric Fawkes finished off a nice passing play including Carson Pawlenchuk and Trent Sambrook and the Flyers took a 1-0 lead. It was Fawkes’ seventh goal of the season and second in as many games.
The Wolverines pulled even just before the halfway point of the second, but Winkler would get that one back later in the period. With just 24 seconds left before intermission, Alex Cattani scored his eighth of the season and first since the 14th of December to put Winkler back in front 2-1. Grady Lane and Mateo Albinati drew the assists.
However, the Wolverines would get the upper hand in the third, tying the game five minutes in and then scoring on the power-play with just over eight minutes left to move in front for the first time in the game. Despite a late push by the Flyers, the visitors stayed in front by one right to the end.
Dylan Meilun played a solid game between the pipes for Winkler making 25 saves in the loss. The Wolverines outshot the Flyers 28-27. Winkler went 0-for-3 on the power-play and 2-for-3 on the penalty-kill.
The Flyers (36-17-5) will host the Wolverines again on Saturday night in the finale of their six game regular season series. Puck drop at the Winkler Recreation Complex is 7:30pm with the video stream available on www.hockeytv.com
NOTE: Pembina Valley Hawks forward and Lowe Farm native Daniel Isaak played extremely well in his Flyers’ debut on Friday night. The 18 year old Flyers’ prospect has 58 points in 46 games with the Hawks this season.
