The Ice Wolves faced off against the Melfort Mustangs on Friday. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

back the pack

Ice Wolves start regular season with one win, one loss

Sep 23, 2024 | 3:27 PM

The La Ronge Ice Wolves have started the 2024/2025 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) regular season with one win and one loss.

The season began with the home opener Sept. 20 against the Melfort Mustangs, who won the 2024 Canterra Seeds Cup (SJHL Championship). The Ice Wolves’ Jacob Cosette scored the first goal of the game three minutes into the first period, which was followed by a powerplay goal from the Mustang’s Logan Belton only a few minutes later.

The Ice Wolves managed to make a second goal by Luke Reinhart before the end of the first, but two goals by the Mustangs with one in the second period (Brayden Westerlund) and the other in a shootout (Nicholas Andrusiak) sealed the 3-2 win for the defending champs.

“It was one of those games where we missed three open nets and hit four posts. The puck wasn’t on our side that night, but I thought the work ethic and execution were really good. It was a big point,” Ice Wolves head coach Kevin Kaminski said.

“They always have an excellent team. I thought we did a lot of good things system-wise. We were right there against the defending champs, so that was a positive to build off and believe in our systems and the culture here.”

back the pack

Ice Wolves start regular season with one win, one loss

1h ago

Honouring a neighbour

'He's smiling down at us': Wes Petterson Memorial Park opens in Weldon with special ceremony

Sep 22, 2024

recognition

Northerners receive King Charles III Coronation Medals

Sep 21, 2024

The Ice Wolves were able to manage a 3-2 win the following night in Nipawin. The Hawks’ Will Whitter earned the first goal of the game two and a half minutes in, which was met by a goal from the Ice Wolves’ Zane Normand near the 15-minute mark.

The Ice Wolves then took the lead with a goal by Jacob Hufty in the second period and a goal by Grayden Perozni in the third. The Hawks managed to make one more goal by the end of the game, which came from Brady Seabrook.

“We went to Nipawin and played a greasy and gritty road game,” Kaminski said.

“The start wasn’t that good, but we finished strong and got the win. It was a great weekend all around.”

The Ice Wolves next play back-to-back games against the Flin Flon Bombers with the first being Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m. at La Ronge’s Mel Hegland Uniplex. They will face-off against the Bombers the following night in Flin Flon.

“Flin Flon always has a top notch team and we have to make sure we defend well … but we got to make sure we stay out of the box,” Kaminski explained.

“They have a potent powerplay, as always, and we got to play hardnosed against them, finish checks and take away time and space and give up nothing for free. We’ve got to make sure we put the work boots on and outwork them for 60 minutes.”

–

derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com