For the first time all season, the Wheat Kings have a four-game winning streak, and it could hardly have come at a better time as they took down their rivals the Saskatoon Blades despite once again having only ten forwards.
Joby Baumuller scored two beautiful goals in the second peirod, Dominik Petr added a pair of his own, and Matteo Michels and Nolan Flamand also scored in a 6-3 Wheat Kings’ triumph. Carson Bjarnason only needed 22 saves for his 14th win of the campaign.
“If you would’ve told me this four games ago I’d have thought you were crazy,” said head coach and GM Marty Murray. “It’s a credit to our guys and our depth. One thing we’ve talked about is our depth up front and it’s been all over the map with the guys who are scoring.”
An all-AP line for the Blades opened the scoring on the cycle. Adam Halat fed the puck from the left wall to the top of the circle for Triston Mitchell-McElhone, and McElhone snapped home his first WHL goal and Halat’s first WHL assist all on one play.
If the goal bothered the Wheat Kings, they didn’t let it show. Nigel Boehm worked along the offensive zone and sent a perfect pass through traffic to Petr, who made good on the tap in. By the end of the first period, the Wheat Kings held a 14-6 shot advantage.
Early in the second, the Wheat Kings worked a cycle of their own and got a one-time goal of their own as well. Cameron Allard cycled the puck low, and Michels fed it out front to Baumuller, who almost annihilated the puck as he sent it to the top corner for the Wheat Kings’ first lead.
Baumuller did it all himself on the next tally. Winning a battle at the defensive blue line, he pulled ahead, leaving every backchecker behind and sniping one glove-side to make it 3-1.
Early in the third, the Blades fought their way back within one. As the Wheat Kings missed a clearing opportunity, the Blades pounced, wrapping the puck around the net and finding Rowan Calvert who lifted it in.
But the Wheat Kings answered almost instantly. Quinn Mantei picked off a pass and carried it in himself, wrapping it around and feeding it back to Flamand who lifted it home.
Again the Blades refused to quit, drawing back within one on a pass from behind the net out front to Kohen Lodge who shot it five-hole. But the Wheat Kings quickly snuffed out any hope of a comeback with empty netters by Michels and Petr.
It’s right back to work for a beleaguered Wheat Kings squad as they return home to face the Prince Albert Raiders tomorrow. Puck drop is 7:00.
