The Warman U18 AA Wildcats earned a 5-1 victory over the Saskatoon Riverkings during their first game of the season, which was played at the Legends Centre in Warman on November 7.
The Wildcats scored early on as Nicholas McMorrow found the back of the net within the opening minute of the game.
Warman coach Doug Harms was glad the Wildcats scored early on because that definitely helped the team get in to the flow of the game.
“It’s very essential to get that early lead,” he said. The guys can rally behind each other, it gives you that boost of energy, and they can see what’s giving them successes.”
About five minutes after that goal Carter Peters found the back of the net to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead. However, the Riverkings netted one before the end of the period and Warman only led 2-1 going in to the second period.
Both teams failed to score in the middle frame and it still was a one goal game going in to the third and final period.
Saskatoon had a golden opportunity to tie the game and possibly take the lead after Warman ran in to some penalty trouble. The Riverkings were on a 5-on-3 power play for about a minute.
However, the Wildcats stepped up and killed the penalty, keeping their one-goal lead.
“It was an essential penalty kill,” Harms said. “We turned it around, we got a power play, we scored, and that takes a little bit of pressure off you.”
Griffin Heaney was the Wildcat who scored that respective power-play goal Harms talked about.
The Wildcats added another goal with the man-advantage late in the period when Benjamin Neudorf found the back of the net.
With a minute and a half remaining in the game, the Wildcats secured their victory when Josh Doucette scored a goal. Even though the Wildcats won 5-1, it was a very close game until that third period, as it could have easily gone either way.
Warman goalie Brayden Schenstead played very well and made some big saves which gave time for the Wildcats to score more goals.
“After those first two goals that we got, he held us in it until we scored at the end,” Harms said. “If you’re goalie could do that for you and give you a chance to win, your team gains confidence to build on.” Harms said.
What impressed Harms during the game was how the Wildcats handled themselves.
“We kept composure and we kept believing we could win,” he said. “As soon as you think that it’s not going to work, you start to make those mistakes and those lapses.”
The Wildcats were up against the Riverkings again on November 8 in Saskatoon, and the Riverkings avenged their previous loss by earning a 3-2 win.
Warman won’t be in action until November 21 when the team is scheduled to take on the Martensville Marauders at the Legends Centre, with puck drop at 5:30 p.m. Those teams will be back at it the following day in Martensville, as the game is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. start.
