The Winkler Flyers scored three times in the second period en route to a 5-3 win in Waywayseecappo on Saturday night, winning their sixth game in seven tries. Cam Whyte scored the game winner with 11 seconds left in the middle period to help the Flyers pick up their 32nd win of the year.
A night after their comeback win in Swan River, the Flyers travelled down to Waywayseecappo for their first of two straight against the Wolverines. Winkler came out of the gate strong and came close to scoring a number of times only to be robbed by the post or cross bar.
Winkler did manage to take a 1-0 lead just past the midway point of the first when Tyler Jubenvill spotted Cam Whyte in front of the net and the Virden native tipped in his 30th of the year. Tristan Keck increased his point streak to 11 games with the second assist.
Wayway tied the game with 1:42 left in the opening period, and went in front 2-1 just over a minute into the second and the Flyers were once again forced to play catch up. It didn’t take the Flyers long to pull even as Kurt Sonne carried the puck out of the corner nearly three minutes later and beat Wayway netminder Greg Harney through the five-hole. Kayden Jarvis and Zak Hicks assisted on Sonne’s second goal in as many games.
The Flyers would then take the lead, 9:32 into the period when Tristan Keck intercepted a pass right in front of the net and scored his 31st to make the score 3-2 for Winkler. Near the end of the period, Cam Whyte would redirect Jordan Wall’s point shot under the cross bar to push Winkler ahead by two goals after two periods. Tristan Keck drew the second assist on Whyte’s second of the game and 31st of the year.
The Wolverines kept coming at the Flyers in the third and cut Winkler’s lead to 4-3 just 1:24 into the period. For the next few minutes, the Flyers bent but did not break as the Wolverines went hunting for the equalizer. Just moments after Nathan Warren made an unbelievable save to keep the Flyers in front, Scott Gall went down and scored the Flyers’ fifth goal to restore their two goal cushion. Kurt Sonne and Connor Hamonic assisted on Gall’s 22nd of the year.
For the final 14 minutes of regulation, the Flyers shut down their opponents and earned their third win in a row, and 32nd victory of the season. Nathan Warren was fantastic in goal for the Flyers, winning his third straight start while improving his record to 8-3-1. The Prince George native made 21 saves as the Flyers outshot the Wolverines 28-24. Winkler went 0-for-2 on the power-play and 2-for-2 on the penalty-kill.
The Flyers (32-11-3) and Wolverines (13-30-4) will go at it again on Sunday night in the rematch. It will also be Winkler’s third game in three nights. Puck drop at the Waywayseecappo Arena is 7:30pm with the pregame show live on Country 88.9FM and online at www.pembinavalleyonline.com getting underway at 7:25pm. The Flyers are now 3-0-1 against Wayway and 13-8-1 on the road.
Great Canadian Oil Change Three Stars
1st Star – F Tristan Keck (Winkler)
2nd Star – F Cam Whyte (Winkler)
3rd Star – G Nathan Warren (Winkler)
Winkler Canvas Hardest Working Flyer
D Connor Hamonic