By COLBY STOESZ
The U18 AAA Warman Wildcats ended their preseason on a high note, beating the Saskatoon Contacts 6-4 at home on Wednesday, September 25.
Dylan Danyluk and Ty Dauvin led the way for the Wildcats, each collecting three points as Warman completed their preseason sweep of Saskatoon.
The visiting Contacts came blazing out of the gates, eager to avenge their loss to the Wildcats just a week prior. Two minutes after the puck dropped, Saskatoon’s Jake Evans found the back of the net to notch his first goal of the preseason.
A Warman interference call put the Contacts on the power play, and Davey Fisher capitalized to build a two-goal lead for Saskatoon.
The second goal served as a blaring alarm for the Wildcats, as they responded just 45 seconds later. Jack Lavallee scored with help from Walker Bergen and Sam Failler to close the deficit, and Warman left the first period down 2-1.
Jack Lavallee eyes up two Saskatoon defenders as he slices through the neutral zone (Gazette photo by Colby Stoesz)
The Wildcats continued to build on the foundation they set late in the first frame. Koston Baliski found nylon, assisted by Danyluk and Ty Dauvin, for the lone goal of the second period. After 40 minutes of play, the contest was deadlocked at 2-2.
Fireworks followed in the third period, with six total goals scored to electrify the crowd. Saskatoon shot first, with Kayden Stroeder returning the lead to the Contacts. After eight minutes of play, Dauvin notched a power-play goal to tie the game once again. The Contacts retook the lead with a Cash Arcand-Vandale goal, but it was short-lived. Dade Wotherspoon buried a feed from Trey Markus and Nash Curniski to once again tie the game, and Dauvin picked up his second goal of the game seven minutes later.
Lavallee later capitalized on an empty Saskatoon net for his second goal of the game as the Wildcats downed the Contacts 6-4.
Danyluk and Dauvin scored a team-high three points, while Lavallee and Markus both picked up two points. Rookie netminder Jacob Appleby earned the win for the Wildcats, stopping 25 of 29 shots in his second preseason start.
The Wildcats will kick off the regular season on Wednesday, October 2 when they’ll visit the Battlefords Stars. Their home opener is scheduled for October 5 against the Estevan Great North Bears.