Butz Scores Shootout Winner, Terriers Beat Wings 3-2
Photo Credit: Simple Shots By Jackie WEYBURN, SK: Brett Butz scored the shootout winner in Round 4, and Caleb Allen stopped 37 of the 40 shots he faced as the Yorkton Terriers spoiled the Weyburn Red Wings home opener defeating them 3-2 in a shootout.
Terriers started quickly with a pair of chances early in the first period. First, it was Dylan Ruptash with a 2 on 1 rush as he took a pass from Jye Zawatsky, but Red Wings goaltender Daza Mitchell lunged to his left, getting a skate on it, keeping it scoreless.
Then, moments later, on a Terriers powerplay, Tate Schofer found Clay Sleeva in the slot, but he, too, was denied. The Terriers opened the scoring on a nifty passing play. Colton Koran sprung Jaron Desnoyers on a breakaway, and he beat Mitchell under the pad for a 1-0 lead.
The lead, however, lasted only a short time. Just 70 seconds last, Elijah Anderson took advantage of a bad bounce and beat Terriers goaltender Caleb Allen, deadlocking the game at one.
The Terriers would grab the lead back at the 14-minute mark of the opening frame. Defenceman Quintin Unreiner hustled in of the forecheck and made a slick behind-the-back feed to forward Anthony Domina, and he beat Mitchell low glove side. The Terriers nearly doubled their lead when Aiden Knutson danced his way into the offensive zone, but Mitchell was equal to the task, keeping it 2-1.
There were five penalties in the opening twenty minutes, three for the Wings and a pair for the Terriers. It was a back-and-forth opening frame, with the Terriers outshooting the Red Wings 17-15.
The Terriers nearly scored in the first 30 seconds in the middle frame when Ruptash got a chance in tight, and he tried a wrap-around, but Mitchell got a right skate on it, keeping the score 2-1 Yorkton. The Red Wings got a couple of good looks to tie the game midway through the second period when Terriers Defenceman Tyson Perkins got the gate for interference. Allen made stops on Anderson and Mahariaj.
The Wings kept the pressure coming in the second period, and they finally were able to cash in on their fourth powerplay midway through. Maharaj snuck one inside the left post, tying it two on the Wings’ eighth shot of the period. The Wings got a couple more chances late in the frame as the Terriers got into penalty trouble again as Knutson went off for tripping. Allen made four stops, the best off Red Wings forward Bradley Banach, at the side of the goal.
The Terriers found their legs late in the middle frame on the powerplay with numerous chances. First, Algajer dashed down the left side, but Mitchell gloved it to keep it scoreless. Then it was Sleeva with an opportunity in the slot, but he too was denied; finally, the Terriers best chance of the period came off the stick of Tate Schofer, and Mitchell robbed him in tight with the glove.
Anderson nearly scored his second of the night as he had a breakaway from the red line. He made a deke to the backhand, but Allen stuck with him, stoning him with the left pad. The Wings, at one point, were outshooting the Terriers 8-2 in the middle frame, but the Terriers finished with 11 of the final 15 shots.
The Terriers got the first best chance of the final twenty minutes, as Sleeva and Scofer connected on a nice passing play, but Mitchell kept it out, heading the puck out of play. The Terriers had a chance to take the lead on the powerplay midway through the third period but mustered only one shot off the stick of Sleeva. Defenceman Lahgan Nimmo had a glorious chance to take the lead shortly after the powerplay expired, but Dazza Mitchell made the stop, keeping the game tied at 2-2.
Algajer had another chance for the Terriers, but Mitchell got a piece with the glove. Both teams had chances late in the third period, but nobody could solve either goaltender, meaning we needed overtime.
In overtime, the Terriers got a powerplay 1:31 into the extra frame. Despite spending most of the powerplay in the attacking zone, the Terriers could not solve Dazza Mitchell. Unreiner had a chance in the final seconds but didn’t get the shot off in time as we headed to a shootout in Weyburn.
In the shootout, both goaltenders stopped all six shots through three rounds, meaning the stage was set for Brett Butz to send the Terriers home and winners, and he did just that, ripping one blocker side past Mitchell, giving the Terriers a 3-2 shootout win. Allen stopped 37 of 40 in the victory. These two teams will meet again tomorrow night in Yorkton for the Terriers home opener. Puck drop is at 7:00 PM.