The Weyburn Red Wings hosted the Tom Huston Classic home game on Saturday, the opening of their annual New Year’s home-and-home series with the Estevan Bruins, and the Highway 39 rivals won both games by scores of 5-1 and 5-2. The Estevan game was played on New Year’s Day.
The Saturday night match, held at Crescent Point Place, opened with a tribute to the late Tom Huston, who was a longtime supporter, board member and volunteer for the Red Wings up until he passed away in 2007 at the age of 93 years.
In game action, the Bruins hit the scoreboard twice in the opening period, with the Red Wings getting many close chances, including a puck that rang off the goalpost, but they were unable to score.
The middle frame was scoreless, and in the third period, Ben Hiltz scored the Wings’ lone goal at 1:22, assisted by Cole Woodliffe and Cade Kowalski.
The period was marked by a number of fights, and a match penalty against Estevan’s Michael McChesney for goalie interference. In total, four Red Wings and five Bruins earned game misconducts. Two of the fights came in the last two minutes of the hockey game.
On New Year’s Day in Estevan, the Bruins opened scoring and Weyburn’s Landon Walters answered to tie the score at 8:32, with an assist from Mike Eskra. Estevan added a power-play goal to retake the lead, but Weyburn tied it back up with Cade Kowalski getting a powerplay goal at 14:04 in the second period.
The third period was all Bruins, as they scored three unanswered goals to win the New Year’s series.
Arik Weersink was the goaltender for the Wings in both games, with the Red Wings out-shot 36-23 in Saturday’s game, and again out-shot on Monday 35-30.
The Red Wings will have a pair of home games on the upcoming weekend, hosting the Humboldt Broncos on Friday, Jan. 5, and the Melfort Mustangs on Saturday, Jan. 6. Both games are at Crescent Point Place, and start at 7:30 p.m.
The Red Wings office is also selling tickets for their annual Sports Dinner, to be held on Saturday, Feb. 17 at the Cugnet Centre.
This year’s event will have three guest speakers, including former Rider Glen Suitor, former NHLer Jeff Odgers, and NHL referee Don Koharski.
There will be silent and live auction items up for bid in support of the Weyburn Red Wings hockey club.
