Saints take down Wolverines 6-2 to get back in Winning Column
By: Adam Kulak
After almost another week off between games, the Saints would bounce back from a loss in Fort McMurray to defeat the Whitecourt Wolverines 6-2 back on home ice. Acquired from Drumheller a few days ago, Brayden Nicholetts would make his Saints debut on a line with Brett Trentham and Grahame Gamache. Colson Gengenbach would also make his Saints debut after suffering an injury in the preseason. He would line up on the left wing with Cam Mitchell and Seth Fyten. With Vincent Duplessis in net for the Wolverines and Matt Davis getting the start for the Saints, let?s jump to the first period.
First Period
The Saints got off to a good start in the first period. The first few minutes of the game, the Saints generated some quality chances, outshooting the Wolverines 8-3 to start the game. The Saints had a Powerplay early, they had good zone time for the whole Powerplay and had a couple good chances but couldn?t quite create enough to open the scoring.
After the first few minutes, the Wolverines got better and better as the period went on. They played fast, they did a great job of moving their feet and drawing penalties as they would make the Saints give them three straight Powerplays.
The Saints would kill them all off, but the Wolverines would open the scoring after the second man advantage. Ethan Leyer would redirect a pass right out front as the Wolverines would strike first in this game.
The shots were close at 10-8 for the Saints but the opening period would end with Whitecourt holding a 1-0 lead.
Second Period
After giving up the first goal of the game, the Saints bounced back with a solid second period. They came out hard right at the start of the period looking for the tying goal. The Saints had a Powerplay a minute into the middle frame, they would go on to hit the post three straight times in a matter of seconds as they came so close to finding the back of the net.
Halfway through the period, the Saints would finally find the equalizer as Ryan Peckford would find Jordan Biro out front as he beats Vincent Duplessis over the blocker. The Saints would continue the pressure and late in the period they would notch the go-ahead goal.
Ryan Peckford and Tanner Klassen with a nice passing play coming into the zone as Klassen slides it to Peckford down low and he would go back to the forehand and beat Duplessis from an almost impossible angle. That would be Peckford?s 9th on the season and 2nd point of the game to make it 2-1 and give the Saints control of this game.
The shots in the period were 11-4 for the Saints and 21-12 overall, as they will head into the final 20 minutes with a one goal lead.
Third Period
The Saints took complete control of the game in the third period and put away the Wolverines with 4 goals. In his first game of the season, Colson Gengenbach would get his first in a Saints uniform. Just under 2 minutes in, Cam Mitchell would hit Gengenbach in the neutral zone with speed and he split the defense and would snipe it top corner which would turn out to be the game winner.
Just over a minute later, Cam Mitchell would add another as the Saints would begin to run Whitecourt out of the building. That would be Mitchell?s 7th of the year as he continues his hot start to the season.
Whitecourt would get on the board once more halfway through the period as Joshua Corrow would let a rocket go from the point, beating Matt Davis post and in to make it 4-2. That would be as close as they get, as the Saints add two more late in the period to take this one in convincing fashion.
Grahame Gamache would create the turnover and would find Brett Trentham all alone in tight as he goes backhand five hole on Duplessis for his 4th of the season. Seth Fyten would score just a minute later as he cut out front from the corner, sealing the 6-2 victory here at the Grant Fuhr Arena.
It was a bit of a shaky first period at times, but the Saints settled into the game and began to push the pace. Once they started to hit their stride, Whitecourt struggled to handle them as they spent a lot of time in the offensive zone and the Wolverines couldn?t get much going later in the game.
Colson Gengenbach was strong with 2 points in his season debut and Cam Mitchell and Ryan Peckford would both add multiple points each as the Saints get back in the win column in a big way here on home ice.
They will look to continue their winning ways on Sunday afternoon for a thanksgiving matchup with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons. Puck drop is 2:00pm as the Saints look to avenge a 3-2 loss in Fort Mac last Saturday here at the Grant Fuhr Arena.