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

 
The Weyburn Red Wings will be looking to pull themselves out of a two game slump tonight when they hit the ice against the Melfort Mustangs. The Wings have lost their last two games, and are embarking on one of two four game road trips on the season. Melfort is also on a two game slump, and has also had an eight game losing streak earlier in the season.
 
This is the second meeting of the year between the two teams, and they couldn’t be on more different paths in the standings. The Mustangs are the defending Canalta Cup champions, but Trevor Blevins squad has struggled out of the gate this year, after a lot of turnover on the roster. The Red Wings are fighting for first in the Viterra Division, and while the past weekend is a setback, have been playing sound hockey all season long.
 
The Mustangs have been struggling to find a solid choice in net so far this year, after Evan Plotnik was sent to the Melville MIllionaires. Ryan Ternes and Derrick Hucul have been the netminders of choice as of late, and while they have picked up a couple of wins recently, the two have suffered a loss in each of their last starts.

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.