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WINKLER GETS THE JOB DONE AGAINST WAYWAYSEECAPPO – FEBRUARY 11

The Winkler Flyers scored two goals in all three periods in a 6-1 win over the visiting Waywayseecappo Wolverines on Saturday night. It was a nice bounce back game for the Flyers who were coming off a tough loss the night before in Steinbach.

 

With four wins and a shootout loss in their five previous games against the Wolverines, the Flyers welcomed a Wayway club that had won just one game away from home all season. In front of another good crowd, the Flyers gave them something to cheer about early in the game.

 

Just 27 seconds into the opening period, Brett Opperman assisted on Will Blake’s third goal in his last three games to give Winkler a 1-0 lead. The Wolverines drew even when Brandon Stanley scored just before the halfway point of the period to tie the game 1-1.

 

After scoring a goal in the first minute of the period, the Flyers also scored in the final minute of the first thanks to Nathan Peabody’s first goal as a Flyer. Lawson McDonald and Coltyn Bates assisted on the goal to give Winkler a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes.

 

This season, the second period had been the strongest one for the Flyers and this game was no exception. Entering play on Saturday, the Flyers had outscored their opponent 72-41 in the second period alone, and on Saturday they added two more. With 7:13 left in the middle frame, Ian Mackey snapped a 17 game goalless drought with his seventh of the year on the power-play. Line mates Coltyn Bates and Matt Christian drew the assists. It was another strong game for Mackey, Bates and Christian who have now recorded 24 points combined in their last five games.

 

Winkler extended their lead to 4-1 around three minutes later when Nolan McGuire and Gino Lucia assisted on Tyler Jubenvill’s 13th. Outshooting Wayway 33-21 after 40 minutes, the Flyers took their three goal lead into the third.

 

The Flyers increased their lead to 5-1 early in the third period when assistant captain Lawson McDonald scored a nice back hand goal with Tyler Jubenvill and Will Blake each picking up their second points of the game with the assists on McDonald’s eighth of the year.

 

With 5:15 left on the clock, Blake earned his third point of the game assisting on Jacob Lacasse’s fourth of the year on the power-play and the Flyers had a 6-1 lead. Brett Opperman was credited with his second assist of the game on Lacasse’s goal.

 

It was a physical and emotional game with two fights in the third period and 123 penalty minutes handed out overall.

 

Troy Martyniuk made 27 saves in the win, improving his record to 7-1 as a Flyer. Winkler outshot Wayway 46-28 overall. Winkler went 2-for-8 on the power-play and 5-for-5 on the penalty-kill.

 

Winkler (37-13-3) will enjoy a few days off before travelling to Virden (22-23-7) on Tuesday night. Puck drop at Tundra Oil & Gas Place is 7:30pm with the pregame show live on Country 88.9FM and online at www.pembinavalleyonline.com getting underway at 7:25pm.

 

The second place Flyers are six points behind the first place Steinbach Pistons and four points ahead of the third place Selkirk Steelers with seven games left in the regular season.

 

GREAT CANADIAN OIL CHANGE THREE STARS

1ST STAR – F WILL BLAKE (WINKLER)

2ND STAR – D LAWSON McDONALD (WINKLER)

3RD STAR – F BRETT OPPERMAN (WINKLER)

 

GAME STATS