The Whitecourt Wolverines saw mixed success in two home games over the weekend.
On Friday, Oct. 24, they took on the Calgary Canucks for a 4-1 win.
Period one was slow, with no scoring and only two minor penalties.
At 10:40 in period two, Wolverine Caleb Therres went to the box for tripping, putting Calgary on the powerplay. Canuck Max Sullivan, with support from Grant Reid, used the opportunity to score a 1-0 lead.
Then, at 14:45, Whitecourt’s Cole Barrett tied things up 1-1 with a powerplay goal too, after Ben Binder-Nord took a slashing minor for Calgary. Barrett was assisted by Tristan Slywka and Ty Rayan.
At 16:46, Wolverine Jager Gugyelka went away for two minutes for holding. Embracing the challenge, Whitecourt’s Tyler Pretty netted a shorthanded goal with help from Brendan Ruskowski and Quentin Bourne to make it 2-1.
Heading into the third with a 2-1 lead, Justus Chyld scored for the Wolverines at 7:44, gaining an insurance goal. Wyatt Ball and Brendan Ruskowski got the helpers.
Kalen Bianchet topped the action off with an empty-netter at 18:36 to secure the 4-1 win for Whitecourt.
On Sunday, however, the team fell 3-1 to the Olds Grizzlys.
The Grizzlys scored the only goal in period one at 14:27.
In period two, Wolverine Brendan Ruskowski fired back with assistance from Spencer Claerhout and Cole Barrett, bringing the score to 1-1.
Just 1:34 into the third, Olds scored again while on the powerplay for a 2-1 lead.
Tensions built throughout the frame until Olds scored again, this time an empty-netter, at 18:38 to secure their 3-1 win.
Then, with just three seconds left in the game, Rhett Miller, of Olds, and Ethan Short, of Whitecourt, earned major fighting and misconduct penalties. Wolverine Nathan Hawkins and Grizzly David Hoy jumped in on the action with minor roughing and slashing penalties, respectively.
The Whitecourt Wolverines still lead the AJHL North Division with 20 points and a 10-3-0-0 record.
