SWHL This Week; Playoff Week 8

Provincial finals kicked off for both the Wilkie Outlaws in the ‘C’ Division and the Macklin Mohawks in the ‘D’ Division. 

The Outlaws travelled two hours south to Kyle to take on the Elks in Game 1 of the best of 3, and it was Wilkie coming away with the 7-4 win. Wilkie leads the series 1-0. 

The game started out in a flurry as Rick Cey took the first touch, instantly scoring on Elks’ goaltender Richard Palmer just 11 seconds in. Just 13 seconds after that, Nelson Schneider's second shot on goal fired over Outlaws’ goaltender Jared Herle pad to tie it up at 1. Mitch Suchan would score 5 minutes later to give Wilkie the 2-1 lead, with Ryan Keller adding to it a minute later. Five minutes after that, Darby Crozier would score to cut the deficit to 3-2, which was held after 20 minutes. Spengler Cup Keller opened the second period with a bang, scoring 38 seconds in, extending the lead to 4-2. Near the midpoint of the middle frame, Dakota Boutin would fire one past Herle, cutting the lead back down to one. The third period didn’t start with a goal in the first minute but carried on the chippy and tough play from the first two periods. Jeff Marshall would score early (2:44 in), tying the game up at 4. After the Elks got themselves into some penalty trouble, Brett Boehm would fire one home on the man advantage, regaining the lead. Boehm would add his second on the evening on a shot through the wickets. Austin McDonald would tie a big bow on the evening with an insurance marker late. 

Herle stopped 17 of 21 shots in the win, while Palmer stopped 30 of 37 shots in the loss. 

The Mohawks welcomed the Redvers Rockets in game 1 of their best of 3, and the Mohawk fans went home happy with a 4-3 overtime victory. Macklin leads the series 1-0 

The Rockets opened the scoring off the stick of Drew Hoff, giving the visitors the 1-0 lead after 20 minutes. Macklin would get on the board in the early stages of the middle frame from Brad Buckingham, tying the game up at 1. Redvers would take the lead back just 2 minutes later thanks to Colby Potapinski, but Corey Doetzel would once again tie the game up just two minutes after that. In the third, Carson Pickett would give the Mohawks their first lead of the evening at 3-2, but the Rockets answered back midway through the period as Koltyn Miller would score. This sent the game into overtime, and with just 1:45 left, Tyler Baier would send the Credit Union Legacy Centre into a frenzy with the OT winner. 

No goaltender stats were available. 

In Game 4 of the best of 5 SWHL Championship series, the Kindersley Sr Klippers hosted the Wilkie Outlaws. In a game with some pretty high stakes, it was the Klippers stealing a win on home ice with a 3-2 OT victory. The series is now tied at 2. 

Kyle Donaldson opened the scoring in the later stages of the 1st period, and it took until the midway point of the middle frame before Ryne Keller would score on the power play to tie it up at 1. The Outlaws opened the 3rd on the power play again, which Ryan Keller converted on to put the visitors up by 1. In ‘magic hour’, Jonny Calkins would score to tie the game back up and send it into overtime. In the extra period, Jessey Pocock would score to lift the roof off the WCEC. 

Jared Herle took the OTL, stopping 26 of 29 shots, while Logan Drackett took the win stopping 56 of 58 shots.