The La Ronge Ice Wolves recorded their second straight win Wednesday at the SJHL Showcase in Warman when they robbed the Melville Millionaires 3-2 in overtime.
“I really think that the effort was there for 60 minutes, I think we are playing within our systems, I think we are clogging up the middle, I think we are being physical, we are creating turnovers on their defefencemen,” said Ice Wolves Head Coach and GM Kevin Kaminski. “You hate to give away a point, but a little adversity, they score one on the power play late and then the guys find a way to win tonight.”
The Ice Wolves opened the scoring 2:08 into the first period when Grant Longtin drove to the net and notched his first of the campaign. Melville’s Ryan Butler made it a 1-1 game 3:58 into the contest when he banked home a rebound past Liam McGarva, who finished the game with 31 saves.
The Ice Wolves took a 2-1 lead 12:56 into the first on the power play when Jordan Mish ripped home his first of the season upstairs on Hunter Adams, who made 42 saves in a losing cause.
Neither team was able to find the back of the net in the second stanza, but the Ice Wolves could have easily notched two or three in the period. Melville tied things up at two 12:16 into the second on the man advantage when Nic Porterfield shovelled home a rebound in tight.
Regulation solved nothing, so the Ice Wolves and Millionaires needed some overtime. In the extra session, Grant Longtin cruised to the crease and beat Hunter Adams for his second of the night.
“Jake Gudjonson lost his stick down low in the zone and Dylan Thackeray worked hard to get the puck,” said Longtin. “I started to take off, Thackeray kind of noticed I was getting going. I said something and he just flipped it up. I just took off, went in, shot at the open area and it went in.”
With the win, the Ice Wolves improved to 2-5 on the season. La Ronge will look to keep the momentum going on Friday at home versus the Battlefords North Stars. Friday’s game gets underway at 7:30 p.m. from the Mel Hegland Uniplex.
On Saturday, the Ice Wolves close out their weekend at home against the North Stars.
(PHOTO: The La Ronge Ice Wolves defeated Melville Wednesday in Warman. Photo by Braden Malsbury.)