WEYBURN – The Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings won the Highway 39 Cup for the 2023-24 season over the Estevan Bruins, after defeating them 3-2 on Friday evening, and winning the season series.
As a side bet on the series, Police Chief Jamie Blunden was accompanied by Estevan’s Chief Lowen into the Red Wings dressing room to present the cup to the team, after having to present it to Estevan the previous two seasons.
In addition, Chief Lowen has to don a Weyburn Red Wings jersey at his workplace.
In other team play, the Red Wings travelled to Melville on Saturday night and lost the game to the Millionaires by a score of 6-2.
In Friday’s game, Nicholas Kovacs scored for Weyburn in the first period on the power play to tie the game at 1-1, assisted by goaltender Dazza Mitchell and Jerome Maharaj.
Weyburn’s Elijah Anderson scored in the second period, assisted by Tyler Teasdale and Jaxson Ruthven, then Ruthven scored in the third period on the power play. He was assisted by Jacob Visentini and Maharaj.
Estevan scored to bring the Bruins within one with just over five minutes left in the game, but Weyburn hung on for the win, even with the Bruins taking their goalie out of the net for the extra attacker.
Mitchell was in net for the entire 60 minutes, making 42 saves on 44 shots on goal.
On Saturday night, Melville was up by two goals before Weyburn’s Maharaj scored, assisted by Ruthven and Lucas Jeffreys in the first period.
Blake Betson tied the game in the second, assisted by Jeffreys and Dallen Oxelgren, but that was the last goal for Weyburn in the game as Melville scored three in the second period, and one more in the third into the empty net to take the win.
Angelo Zol was in net until he was pulled late in the second period, and Mitchell played the remainder of the game.
Zol made 20 saves on 25 shots, and Mitchell saved all eight shots he faced.
The Millionaires will visit Weyburn on Tuesday night at Crescent Point Place, then this weekend, Weyburn hosts LaRonge Ice Wolves on Friday, and the Yorkton Terriers on Saturday night.
