Weyburn Red Wings (9-5-0-1) at Melfort Mustangs (5-8-0-2)
Northern Lights Palace, Melfort SK
Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m. on K106
Nathan Hargrave has carried the bulk of the work for the Red Wings this season, and with a couple of shaky starts aside, has been one of the top netminders in the league this year. Shaun Fleming, who has been a capable backup, has made good in his starts, with a 2-1 record in three games.
Melfort has been missing the scoring touch of the “Minion Line” this season, and the loss of defenceman Eric Sinclair as future considerations in a trade with the Melville Millionaires. The Mustangs have been able to muster up just under 2.5 goals a game in offense. The Red Wings, by comparison, are just under three goals a game.
Special teams will be key to the game for both teams. The Red Wings have been having trouble with the penalty kill this season. Weyburn has given up 14 power play goals so far this season, just under one per game. Their efficiency rate is at 80.8 per cent. Melfort’s power play, though, has been fairly anemic, though, converting at just 15 per cent on the season.
The Weyburn power play has been a touch better, clicking along at 16.4 per cent. That is good for 7th in the league. Melfort’s penalty kill has been stronger than Weyburn’s so far this year. At 83.1 per cent, they have allowed just 12 power play goals all year. Discipline will be a key factor. While the Red Wings have the third most penalty minutes in the league so far this season, due in part to two games, they have only given up 73 power play chances, compared to 71 for the Mustangs, who are among the least penalized teams in the league.
The Red Wings will be utilizing all the players they can on this roadtrip to ensure that the players remain loose and ready to go. Four games in five nights is the longest road trip of the season for the Wings, and all four games will be played in the rinks of Sherwood Division teams, who have hostile crowds who put the momentum into the performance of the home team.
All four of the games can be heard on Red Wing Radio, K106, beginning with the pre-game show. Steven Wilson will have the call on the road, while Zac Chartrand hosts from back in the studios in Weyburn. We will also have complete coverage online, and on social media.
The game tonight starts at 7:30 p.m., and the pregame show begins at 7:20 p.m.