The Selkirk Steelers scored twice on the power-play to get past the visiting Winkler Flyers 3-2 on Tuesday night, snapping Winkler’s five game winning streak. The Flyers came within inches of tying the game at the end, but were forced to settle for just their second road loss of the year.
Having won their last five games, outscoring their opponent 29-8 during that time, the Flyers travelled back to Selkirk for the second time in less than two weeks. Back on October 16th, Cole Weaver and the Flyers shutout the Steelers 6-0. Weaver got the start again on Tuesday, looking to continue his stellar play having allowed just one goal in his last two starts.
The Flyers were sluggish at the start and gave up the game’s first goal just before the midway point of the first. Early in the second, the home team took a 2-0 lead with a power-play marker, 3:23 into the period.
Winkler responded well though as defenseman Garrett Kuklica’s persistence on the puck led to the Flyers first goal 11:06 into the middle frame. Nolan McGuire assisted on Kuklica’s first ever Manitoba Junior Hockey League goal.
Not even five minutes later, Lawson McDonald carried the puck down the right wing side and wired in a wrist shot, tying the game 2-2 with his third goal of the season. With the Flyers being outshot 24-18 through 40 minutes, the game was all square heading into the third.
With just over five minutes left in regulation, the Steelers went back on the power-play and after a desperate effort by the Flyers’ penalty-killers, Selkirk scored their second man advantage goal of the game to take a 3-2 lead.
Now trailing, the Flyers pulled Weaver in the final minute and came very close numerous times to tying the game again but just couldn’t get the puck over the line. The loss drops the Flyers record to 10-4-0 as they remain in second place in the MJHL standings. Winkler is now 6-2 on the road.
Cole Weaver (6-2) made 31 saves in the loss as the Steelers outshot the Flyers 34-28. The Flyers were 0-for-4 on the power-play and 4-for-6 on the penalty-kill.
Winkler will return home to face the Dauphin Kings in their next game on Friday night. That will be the next Petro Canada Black Friday, where the Flyers will wear their new black uniforms. The first 150 fans will also receive a Petro Canada Fuel Saver Card, good for 10 cents off a litre up to 100 litres at Petro Canada. Puck drop at the Winkler Recreation Complex is 7:30pm.
GREAT CANADIAN OIL CHANGE THREE STARS
1st Star – F Jake Dudar (Selkirk)
2nd Star – F Liam Kroeker (Selkirk)
3rd Star – D Lawson McDonald (Winkler)