The La Ronge Ice Wolves tied their first-round SJHL playoff series with the Yorkton Terriers at two following a 5-1 victory on Wednesday evening at the Mel Hegland Uniplex.
“I think our guys came out really strong,” said Ice Wolves Associate Coach Gaelan Patterson. “We played the way we wanted to play, we played defensive-minded.”
The Ice Wolves opened the scoring 9:07 into the game when Stewart Pond walked down the left wing and sent a rocket upstairs past Matthew Pesenti, who made 39 saves in a losing cause.
La Ronge took a 2-0 lead 4:26 into the second frame on the power play when James Philpott wired his first of the series upstairs. The Terriers cut the lead to one 4:48 into the period when Keenan Taphorn tallied on a shorthanded breakaway after a turnover at the La Ronge blue line. The Ice Wolves took a 3-1 advantage 14:17 into the second after Spencer Kennedy deked out Matthew Pesenti on a breakaway. It was Kennedy’s third goal of the series and he finished his night with two points.
Booker Chacalias scored in the slot 11:18 into the third stanza, as the Ice Wolves went up 4-1. Ben Manson provided the final dagger 16:08 into the third when he added an empty-netter.
“I felt like we were going from the beginning,” said La Ronge forward Stewart Pond, who had one goal and two assists. “They’re a good team, so just to be able to jump on them quick, get the puck to the net and get one quick there off the bat, on the power play, it just felt good.”
The Ice Wolves will look to take a 3-2 series lead on Friday night in Yorkton when they resume their series with the Terriers.
You can catch Friday’s game on MBC Network Radio with Braden Malsbury. The pre-game show is slated to get underway at 7:15 p.m. from Farrell Agencies Arena.
Meantime, the sixth installment of the series is slated for Sunday evening in La Ronge at the Mel Hegland Uniplex.
(PHOTO: The Ice Wolves celebrate their victory Wednesday. Photo courtesy of Braden Malsbury.)