Despite mixed results over the weekend, the Whitecourt Wolverines have finished the AJHL regular season as division and regular season champions, with multiple players up for league awards.
The Wolverines doubled the Devon Xtreme 8-4 at home on Friday, March 13, but fell 2-1 in Devon on Saturday.
Night one began with Wolverine Mason Russell scoring his 11th of the season at 12:52, with assistance from Spencer Claerhout and Nathan Hawkins.
Whitecourt’s Alex Symes then followed that up with another goal with 10 seconds left in the frame for a 2-0 lead. His fifth of the season was assisted by Billy Hooson and Kaiden Beniuk.
Later, with support from Brendan Ruskowski and Nathan Hawkins, Russell started the action again in period two at 5:50 for a 3-0 lead.
Wolverine Xander Schulte then scored his 12th of the season to make it 4-0 about two minutes later. The helpers went to Chayse King and Jett Quaschnick.
Mason Russell then netted his third of the night and 13th of the season at 12:40 for 5-0 lead. Parker Fitzgerald and Brendan Ruskowski assisted on the play.
Devon then scored at 14:47, but exactly three minutes later, Kyle Tucker lit the lamp for Whitecourt to end the frame with a 6-1 lead. He was assisted by Nolan Schmidt.
The Xtreme bounced back in the third period, scoring three goals by the 7:32 mark of the final frame to trail 6-4.
At 9:01, Mason Russell and Brendan Ruskowski assisted Parker Fitzgerald on his 10th of the season to secure the team’s seventh goal of the evening.
Russell would then net the final goal of the game at 15:49, his fourth of the game and 14th of the season, for an 8-4 finish. Xander Schulte and Alex Symes assisted.
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Saturday was a different story, with the Wolverines on the road.
The Xtreme took a 1-0 lead in period one.
Then, just 0:32 into period two, Spencer Claerhout scored the Wolverines’ only point of the night on a powerplay for a 1-1 tie. Ty Rayan and Jackson DeGraves assisted.
In period three, Ty Rayan went to the box for slashing, giving Devon one more chance at a powerplay. The Xtreme scored at 19:04, making it 2-1.
The Whitecourt Wolverines now head into the AJHL playoffs atop the North Division with a record of 39-13-1-2. With 81 points, the team is also the AJHL regular season champion and winner of the Dave Duchak Trophy.
Wolverines goaltenders Elliott Pratt and Preston Lewis are also recipients of the AJHL Top Team Goaltenders Award, which is presented to goaltenders with the lowest goals against average (GAA) in the season. Pratt and Lewis allowed 144 goals against with a 2.62 GAA in the regular season.
Meantime, multiple players have been named as finalists for the AJHL’s League Awards.
Wolverines Captain Jalen Bianchet is a finalist for Most Valuable Player and Top Forward; Tristan Slywka is up for Rookie of the Year; Quentin Bourne has a shot at Outstanding Defenceman; Elliott Pratt is a finalist for Top Goaltender; and Shawn Martin is up for Coach of the Year.
A final round of voting will determine the award winners, who will be announced once the AJHL regular season has ended. Winners will also be nominated for recognition at the national level through the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL).
