Winkler netminder Dylan Meilun stopped all 20 shots that came his way on Tuesday night as the Winkler Flyers capped off their six game road trip with a 2-0 win over the Winnipeg Blues. Jayden McCarthy (11) and Carson Pawlenchuk (4) both scored in the opening four minutes of the game to help the Orange and Black earn their fourth win in a row.
Playing their sixth straight contest on the road and fourth game in the last five days, the Winkler Flyers looked to keep the momentum going from their Monday afternoon victory over the Pistons in Steinbach. Over the past 10 days, the Flyers travelled just over 2700 km’s and managed to earn 10 of a possible 12 points in their six games played during that stretch.
The Flyers could not have asked for a better start against the Blues as Jayden McCarthy scored from the top of the left wing faceoff circle just 57 seconds into the game to give Winkler an early 1-0 lead. Mateo Albinati and Kyle Lamoureux assisted on McCarthy’s 11th of the season and sixth in his last four games. Albinati, who sat out the last four games due to suspension increased his point streak to nine games with that assist.
Winkler jumped on the Blues again moments later when Drake Burgin and Everett Bestland assisted on Carson Pawlenchuk’s third goal in as many games to make it 2-0. Burgin’s assist also gives the second year Flyer 23 points on the year, which is tops in the MJHL among defenseman and is also one more than he had all of last season in 33 fewer games. After allowing two goals on the first three shots of the game, the Blues settled down and kept the Winkler offense at bay the rest of the period.
Not only did the Flyers offense get off to a good start, but the defense did as well as Winkler kept Winnipeg off the shot clock for the first 11 minutes of the game.
The Flyers penalty-kill came up big in the second period killing off three straight penalties to keep Winkler in the lead through 40 minutes. Dylan Meilun and the rest of the Flyers took it from there and with no more goals scored in the third period, the final buzzer sounded with Winkler still in front 2-0.
Dylan Meilun finished the night with 20 saves on 20 shots to record his first shutout in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. Over his past two starts, the rookie goaltender has allowed just one goal on 55 shots in wins over Winnipeg and OCN. The Flyers outshot Winnipeg 29-20 overall. The Flyers were 0-for-3 on the power-play and 4-for-4 on the penalty-kill.
The Flyers will finally return home on Friday, November 15th for the first on two straight games against the Swan Valley Stampeders. Puck drop at the Winkler Recreation Complex is 7:30pm. You can catch the game live with a subscription to www.hockeytv.com.
The victory improved the Flyers record to 14-6-1 which is good for second place in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League Standings, two points back of the league leading Portage Terriers. The Flyers also sport the best road record in the league at 11-2.