Winnipeg Thrashers 2009/2010
Game Reports

February 26th, Pembina Valley at Thrashers Game 2 Best of 5

 Score: 11 - 4

 Penalties: Thrash 22 - PV 10

 PP Goals: Thrash 1 - PV 6

 SH Goals: Thrash 1 - PV 0

 Shots on Goal: Thrash 30 - PV 55

February 24th, Thrashers at Pembina Valley Game 1 Best of 5

 The Thrashers opened the second round on the road in Morden against the Pembina Valley Hawks in a best of 5 series.

The Hawks got on the board first at 3:22 of the opening frame with a nice pass from behind the net that was one timed behind Matt McIntosh who had no chance on the play. The Thrashers got that one back just over 3 minutes later when Ryan Dech made a nice play at the Hawks blue line to keep the puck in the zone. He fired it wide of the net but it took a strange bounce out front that Mike Riffel pounced on and buried behind Reed Peters. Pembina Valley took the lead again at 17:08 with a low shot through a crowd that found the back of the net. Shots on goal at the end of the first were 13-7 in favor of the Hawks.

The Hawks extended their lead to two at 7:51 of the second on a nice pass out from the corner that was redirected behind McIntosh. Pembina Valley made it a three goal margin at 18:38 while on the power play with a screened shot from the point that beat McIntosh low to the stick side. The Thrashers suffered a complete defensive meltdown that saw the Hawks score 2 more goals in the next minute (19:23 and 19:34) to take a 6-1 lead into the second intermission. Shots on goal after two, 33-18 Hawks.

The Thrashers wows continued in the third when the scored their seventh goal at 15:25 while shorthanded. The Thrashers got one back at 16:55 when Mike Riffel hit Parker Thomas with a nice stretch pass at the Hawks blue line. Thomas broke in and fired a shot just under the right arm of Peters. Jordan Lisowick picked up the other assist. Final shots on goal were 53-34 Hawks.

The series resumes Friday night at Gateway, 7:30 pm. 

February 19th, Thrashers at Kenora Game 2 Best of 3

 After going 1 and 3 in the season series against the Thistles and 0 for 2 in Kenora, the Thrashers had something to prove in game 2 on Kenora's home ice.

The Thrashers came out firing in the opening frame, taking the play to the home side. Their hard work paid off, drawing a penalty just 4 minutes in. The Thrashers made the power play count, scoring at 4:32. Ryan Dech ripped a shot from the point that beat Thistles goal tender Davy Fisher low to the stick side. Matt Garvey and Parker Thomas picked up the assists. Kenora knotted the score at 16:32 while on the power play. Adam Iwan made two good saves in close but a Kenora forward grabbed the loose puck and roofed it. The Thrashers regained the lead with just 6 seconds left in the period with the power play. Colton Kalinski turned and fired from the left side, beating a surprised Fisher. Shots on goal at the end of the first were 13-10 in favor of the Thrashers.

The Thrashers extended their lead 13:53 into the second with Kalinski notching his second of the night and only even strength goal of the game. Kalinski took a nice pass from Matt Garvey, walked in and ripped a snap shot past Fisher. Jeremy Olynik picked up the other assist. The Thrashers played a tight defensive game for the rest of the period and it ended 3-1 with the edge in shots going to the visitor, 11-10.

 Kenora came out in the third with a little more urgency, sensing the end of their season. Their work paid off at 1:17 of the period on the power play with a shot from the face off circle. The Thrashers who have been playing with confidence of late settled down and restored the 2 goal lead at 3:23, also on the power play. Matt Garvey picked up his third point of the game, firing a shot from the right face off circle that beat Fisher. Ryan Magalas and Ryan Dech picked up the assists. The visitors played a disciplined style for the remainder of the period. Shots on goal in the third were 10-6 in favor of the Thrashers for a total of 34-26.   

February 17th, Kenora at Thrashers Game 1 Best of 3

 The Thrashers came into game one fresh off two hard fought wins in Thompson on the weekend. Kenora took the regular season series 3 games to 1, winning both games in Kenora and one ay East Selkirk while gateway was under repair. The Thrash did beat them 5-3 in the only game at Gateway.

The home side came out of the gate flying, taking the play to the Thistles in the early minutes of the game. Their hard work paid off at 6:29 while on the power play. Scott Brauer ripped a point shot past a screened Kenora goalie Matthew Benson. Jordan Lisowick and Jeremy Olynik picked up the assists. Disciplined play by the Thrashers kept the Thistles scoring chances to a minimum through the middle if the period. The Thrash extended the lead to 2 at 18:50 when Matthew Garvey sent Jeremy Olynik in all alone on Benson. Olynik was poke checked when he got in close but Garvey followed up and buried the loose puck. The period ended 2-0 with the shots on goal 10-6 in favor of the home side.

 The Thrashers came out in the second and picked up from where they left off, taking the play to the Thistles who were back on their heals. The Thrash extended their lead to 3 at 4:13 when Matthew Garvey fired a shot on goal from the high slot. Jeremy Olynik got his stick on the puck for a nice deflection. Jared Williamson picked up the other assist. The fired up Thrashers made it 4 zip just 1:23 later while short handed. Mike Riffel poked the puck past the defender near the blue line to Connor Lockhart who went in all alone on Benson. Lockhart deked to his right and slid the puck into the open net. Kenora got on the board at 6:39 when the Thrashers turned the puck over in their own zone and the Thistle forward beat McIntosh low to the stick side from the slot. Shots on goal at the end of the second were 19-18 in favor of the Thistles.

The third period was scoreless with the Thrashers playing a tight defensive game including killing off a 5 on 3 man advantage midway through the frame. Shots on goal at the end of the third were 27-24 in favor of the Thrashers.

Game 2 goes Friday night in Kenora at 7:00 pm.

February 14th, Thrashers at Norman

 The Thrashers went into game 2 of the weekend series with a couple of fresh bodies, but still with a short bench. Captain Matt Garvey and Scott Brauer returned to the lineup but they lost Olynik and Humphreys to injuries in Saturday nights game.

The North Stars came out firing, scoring just 31 seconds into the opening period. Adam Iwan got his glove on a blast from the top of the face off circle but it dropped in behind him and dribbled in. The Thrashers evened things up at 3:56 on the power play. Scott Brauer ripped a point shot that went off the post and was banged in by Mike Riffel who was planted in front of Norman goalie Mitchell Backhouse. The Thrashers got the go ahead goal at 9:59 when Jordan Lisowick gobbled up a rebound at the side of the net and fired it behind Backhouse. Mike Riffel picked up the lone assist. Norman drew even at 15:32 when the puck eluded Iwan during a huge goalmouth scramble. The puck eventually went back to the point and a shot was fired past Iwan who hadn't recovered from the scramble. The home side got the go ahead marker at 18:32. Norman came down the right side, firing a slap shot from just inside the blue that sailed over the net. The shot went off the glass and came out to the face off dot on Iwan's right. A streaking Norman forward one timed the shot in behind Iwan who didn't get over in time. Shots on goal were 12-10 in favor of the Thrashers.

Both teams came out hard in the second period. The Thrashers again found themselves with less than 3 full forward lines after losing Garrett Shymko to injury in the first period. Play went back and forth until the 13:56 mark when the Thrash knotted the score at 3. Ryan Magalas fed a nice pass to Matt Garvey down low and he walked out to stuff the puck in behind Backhouse. That would do it for scoring in the second with the teams going to the second intermission tied at 3. Shots on goal at the end of the second were 27-26 in favor of the North Stars.

The Thrashers came out in the third with a little more jump and pressured the home side. Their hard work paid off on the power play at 6:19. Ryan Magalas had the puck down low and worked up toward the slot when he spotted Ryan Dech sneaking n from the point. Magalas fed Dech a nice pass that he redirected to the net. The initial shot was stopped but Dech picked up his own rebound and beat a down and out Backhouse. The lead wouldn't last long though, 30 seconds to be exact. Norman on a power play of their own fired a shot from the point that found its way behind Iwan low to the stick side. The Thrashers took the lead for good at 12:56 when Magalas outworked the Norman defender in the corner to the left of Backhouse and feeding a great pass to Daniel Poulin half way between the goal and face off dot. Poulin ripped a one timer top corner past a shocked Backhouse. That lead would stand up as the Thrashers played a tight defensive game for the remainder of the period. Final shots on goal were 33-32 in favor of the North Stars.

Two good road wins should provide the Thrashers with some confidence entering the first round of the playoffs.   

February 13th, Thrashers at Norman

 The Thrashers rolled into Thompson to play the North Stars with a short bench, missing 5 players due to injuries and suspensions.

The Thrashers struck first at 3:45 of the first when Colton Kalinski sent Jeremy Olynik in on a break away. Olynik made no mistake with the gift, going top shelf, glove side on Norman goaltender Ryan Delorme. That would be the only impact Olynik had on the game as he was the victim of a vicious check into the end boards and didn't return. The North Stars player was assessed a 5 minute major for boarding and the Thrashers made it count, scoring at 12:02. Ian Humphreys blocked a clearing attempt, walked into the faceoff circle and beat Delorme low to the glove side for the power play marker. The home side cut the lead to one at 16:50 while on a power play with a nice shot from the point that beat a screened Matt McIntosh just inside the post. Shots on the goal at the end of the first were 15-8 in favor of the Thrashers.

With the loss of Olynik, the Thrashers started the second with just 8 forwards and 4 D. Norman pulled even at 5:02 when the Thrashers turned the puck over in their own zone. The Norman forward walked in from the hash marks and fired a nice shot along the ice that beat McIntosh n the short side. Just three minutes later the Thrashers regained the lead when Ian Humphreys carried the puck the length of the ice and was forced behind the North Stars net. He won the battle with the Norman defender and spotted Daniel Poulin going hard to the net, feeding him a nice pass. Poulin buried it just inside the far post. The other assist went to Mike Riffel. Shots on goal at the end of the second were 23-21 in favor of the Thrahers.

From the beginning of the third period it was evident that the Thrashers short bench was taking its toll, as Norman controlled most of the play. Matt McIntosh made several big saves as the Norman attack was relentless. They finally knotted the score at the 12:00 mark while on the power play, McIntosh made another great toe save but the rebound went to a North Star forward who put it i the open net. That would be it for scoring in regulation as McIntosh turned away several more quality chances including a couple on a late Norman power play. Shots on goal at the end of regulation were 37-28 in favor of the North Stars.

Overtime settled nothing, so they were off to a shoot out. Shots at the end of OT were 40-30 in favor of Norman.

Ian Humphreys was up first for the Thrash and made no mistake, picking the top corner glove side on Delorme. McIntosh turned away the first Norma shooter, closing the five hole on his slap shot. Colton Kalinski was up next and used a nifty shoulder duck and lateral movement to undress Delorme for the second shootout goal. The next North Star shooter tried the deke but was poke checked by McIntosh to seal the win.    

February 10th, Thrashers at Wild

  The Thrashers went to St. Adolphe for a tilt with the Wild and were hoping for a strong outing to carry into a weekend trip to Thompson to play the North Stars.

The Wild opened the scoring at 4:02 of the first when Adam Iwan made a spectacular blocker save only to have the rebound batted in behind him. The Wild stretched the lead at 10:42 while enjoying a two man advantage. Iwan stopped the initial point shot but had the rebound tucked in behind him. That would do it for scoring in the first. The shots on goal were 21-10 in favor of the Wild while the penalties were 3-0 in favor of the Thrashers.

The Wild extended their lead to 3 on a 2 on 1 odd man rush at 1:14 of the second picking the top corner on Iwan. The Wild made it 4-0 at 4:09 with a carbon copy of their 3rd goal. They made it 5-0 at 10:01 while on the power play. Parker Thomas scored the only Thrasher goal of the period at 11:49, banking a shot off Connor Darowski's leg from behind the net. Cody Danylchuk and Mike Lazo picked up the assists. The shots on goal were 17-8 in favor of the Wild while the penalties were 8-1 in favor of the Thrashers.

The home side opened the scoring in the third at 1:22 and added another 5 on 3 power play marker at 11:29, and an even strength goal at 16:32 to make it  7-1.  Colton Kalinski scored his 15th of the season at 18:02 while on a power play. Assisting on the goal were Ryan Magalas and Cody Danylchuk. Garrett Shymko added another Thrasher goal at 18:33 when he roofed a shot from in tight. Mike Riffel and Matt Garvey collected the assists. Shots on goal in the third were 16-9 in favor of the Wild for a total of 56-27 while the penalties were 5-5 for a total of 17-5 in favor of the Thrashers.

League rules allow teams to report on the facts of the game and not comment on the officiating, fair enough. The facts actually speak for themselves quite nicely.

February 5th, Thrashers at Kenora

 The Thrashers rolled into Kenora looking to lock up home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs but couldn't put together a solid 60 minutes.

Kenora struck first, just 1:23 into the first when a point shot was deflected through Matt McIntosh's five hole. The Thrashers got it back at the 8:24 mark when Ryan Dech broke down the left side and fired a shot on net from just inside the blue line that eluded the Kenora netminder. Colton Kalinski picked up the lone assist on the play. By the mid point of the frame the Thrashers lost David Harrison and Daniel Poulin to injury. The Thrashers out shot the home side 9-7 in the opening period.

The Thrashers started the second period on the penalty kill but took advantage of some sloppy play by the Thistles. Garrett Shymko forced a turnover in the neutral zone, slid the puck over to Colton Kalinski and then went in on a two on one with him. Kalinski ripped a shot from inside the face off circle that beat the Kenora goalie low to the stick side. Kenora evened things up at  8:20 while on the power play with a nice pass from the left side that was redirected past a helpless McIntosh. Just over four minutes later the Thistles notched a short handed goal of their own to go ahead 3-2. The Thrashers knotted the score with just 47 seconds remaining in the period while on the power play. Ryan Dech fired a shot from the right point that Jeremy Olinyk got his stick on to deflect it top corner. The Thistles out shot the Thrashers 15-12 in the second period.

Kenora regained the lead 2:26 into the third on a hard slap shot from the slot beat McIntosh low to the stick side. Just under three minutes later Garrett Shymko was sent in all alone by Matt Garvey. Shymko made no mistake, faking to his left before ripping the puck under the cross bar from in tight to make it 4-4. Colton Kalinski picked up the other assist. Kenora took the lead for good at 12:13. McIntosh made a nice pad save but the puck slid to the side of the crease and was banged home by a Thistle forward. Kenora added to their lead 29 seconds later on a nifty pass across the crease that was redirected behind McIntosh. The home side added another at 15:59 to make the final score 7-4.

The Thistles out shot the Thrashers 38-34.

February 3rd, Brandon at Thrashers

 Hoping to avoid a first round playoff series in Thompson the Thrashers took to the ice against the 30-07-02 Brandon Wheat Kings at Gateway on Wednesday.

Colton Kalinski opened the scoring  for the Thrashers at 4:32 of the first period. Kalinski went hard to the net and redirected a great pass from Matt Garvey to the top shelf where mama hides the cookies. The other assist went to Cody Danylchuk. The Thrashers extended the lead 2:22 later when Matt Garvey took advantage of a Brandon turnover at their own blue line. Garvey went in all alone and went top corner on Thorpe's stick side. The Thrashers dominated most of the first period and went to the first intermission with a two goal lead despite giving up 9 shot to their own 7.

Brandon came out in the second with a little more jump and cut the lead to one at the 2:39 mark when Jesse Linner banged home a loose puck during a scramble in front of Iwan. Brandon continued to turn up the heat but Adam Iwan stood on his head to preserve the lead and take the home side into the 2nd intermission with a one goal lead. Shots on goal at the end of the second were 26 - 16 in favor if the Wheaties.

The third period ended the same way the second ended with Brandon applying constant pressure. The visitors were pressing on the power play when Colton Kalinski picked up a puck that was chipped into the nuetral zone and went in all alone on Thorpe. Kalinski made a nice move on Thorpe before slipping the puck through his legs for his second of the game and a short handed tally at 7:23. Brandon wouldn't go away and climbed to within one at 9:02. Cody Nelson broke in on the right side, firing a shot that Adam Iwan kicked out. Nelson picked up his own rebound and beat a sprawling Iwan. That would be it for the Wheat Kings as the Thrashers played solid defence the rest of the period with the help of Adam Iwan.

Final shots on goal were 40 - 22 in favor of the Wheat Kings.

The win puts the Thrashers 6 points up on Norman with 4 games to play for each team. A Thrasher win of Norman loss will assure the Thrashers home ice advantage if they meet the North Stars in the first round.

January 24th, Eastman at Thrashers

 Still smarting from a lopsided 7-3 loss to the Selects on Friday night the Thrashers hoped to take advantage of a tired Eastman squad on Sunday afternoon as they played their third game in as many days.

The Selects showed no signs of fatigue, scoring the first goal of the contest while on the power play at 7:02. Matt McIntosh stopped the initial shot but the rebound fell to the side of the net and was batted into an empty net. The Selects struck again on the power play at 14:36 with a lucky bounce. A point shot that was going wide deflected off an Eastman player's chest at the side of the net and in behind McIntosh. Eastman made it 3 nil just 2 minutes later with a carbon copy of their first goal. A shot that was stopped but fell to the side and knocked into the empty net.  Shots on goal were in favor of the Selects 12-5.

The Thrashers came out in the second with a bit more jump and it paid off at 10:22 when Daniel Poulin cut the lead to two during a goal mouth scramble. Assists went to Jeremy Olinyk and Jordan Lisowick. As has happened far too may times this season they gave the goal right back 37 seconds later on a give away in the defensive zone. Eastman made it 5-1 at 12:29 on a 2 on 1 break. The puck carrier faked the pass and beat McIntosh 5 hole. With just 1:25 left in the second, Parker Thomas scored on a nice second effort, throwing a shot out front from behind the net that hit a defender's skate and found its way in behind Isaiah Plett. The Thrashers out shot the Selects 13-10 in the second period.

Daniel Poulin collected his second of the game during a 5 on 3 power play at 6:14 of the third. Poulin picked up a loose puck at the side of the net and roofed it behind Plett. Jeremy Olinyk and Cody Danylchuk picked up the assists. 45 seconds later the home side pulled to within 1 goal when Parker Thomas notched his second of the game on a goal mouth scramble, with the lone assist going to Connor Lockhart. That would be as close as they would get however as the Selects tightened up defensively. The Thrashers out shot the visitors in the third 17-11 and 35-33 overall.

The Thrashers are in tough down the stretch with games against the Wild, Pembina Valley and Brandon. 

January 22nd, Thrashers at Eastman

 The Thrashers rolled into Beausejour looking to solve the Selects who had out scored them 12-1 in their two previous meetings.

The home side got on the board first at 5:15 of the first when Adam Iwan made a save on a Selects shot that squirted to the side of the net. Eastman's Eric Pushka was there to bang home the rebound. Eastman extended their lead 4 minutes later when Iwan was beat on a wrap around. Play remained even for most of the period with both teams having good scoring chances. The Thrashers climbed to within one at 17:58 of the opening frame. Connor Lockhart sent a streaking Michael Lazo in all alone on a break away. Lazo who is money in the bank on an open break, made no mistake going bar down on Eastman netminder Isaiah Plett. Mike Riffel picked up the other assist. The period ended 2-1 in favor of the Selects who also enjoyed the edge in shots at 14-10.

The Thrashers started the second a man short but tied the game just 13 seconds in on a great individual effort by Connor Lockhart for the short handed marker. Lockhart showed patience waiting for Plett to commit himself before firing the puck behind the sprawling keeper.  The home side restored their lead at 5:51 on a point shot that was stopped but the rebound eluded Iwan. Eastman regained their two goal lead at 14:45 on a screen shot from the point the Iwan didn't see. The Thrashers showed some life early in the period after Lockhart's short handed marker but fell off the pace. The Selects out shot the Thrashers 20-10 in the second for a two period total of 34-20.

The Thrashers came out flat in the third and gave up 3 more goal including Eric Pushka's third and fourth of the game. His fourth being a beauty of a redirection past a helpless Iwan. Garrett Shymko scored with 5 seconds remaining in the third to make the final 7-3 Eastman. Shots on goal were 49-34. 

The Thrashers will need to regroup quickly as they host these same Selects Sunday on home ice.   

January 15th, Central Plains at Thrashers

 After beating the Central Plains Capitals in their three previous meetings, the Thrashers were looking for the season sweep on Friday night on home ice.

The Thrashers struck first at 4:01 of  the opening frame. Matt Garvey converted a nice pass from Jeremy Olinyk who controlled the puck behind the net before feeding Garvey in the slot. Garrett Shymko collected the other assist. Play for the rest of the period was pretty even and ended with the home side up one at the intermission. The Thrashers edged the Capitals 10-9 in shots in the first period.

Central Plains tied the match at 2:21 while on the power play with a screened point shot that eluded Matt McIntosh. The Capitals got the go ahead marker just 1:03 later when a shot on goal resulted in a rebound that found a Central Plains forward alone in front of McIntosh. The visitors made it a two goal lead at 11:00 when the Thrasher D got caught cheating, sending Capitals Riley Hay in all alone on a break away. He made no mistake beating McIntosh with a deke. The Thrashers pulled to within one at 18:14 of the period when Cody Danylchuk buried a point shot top corner on Capitals goalie Bryan Tait. Ryan Dech picked up the only assist on the play. The second ended 3-2 in favor of the visitors.

The Capitals regained their two goal lead 4:38 into the third when a point shot was deflected past McIntosh. Central Plains closed out the scoring at 6:37 when Riley Hay split the D and got in on a partial break away, beating McIntosh 5 hole.

The Thrashers out shot the visitors 35-32 and amassed 42 minutes in penalties compared to the Capitals 12 minutes .

January 13th, Interlake at Thrashers

 The Thrashers entered tonight's contest riding a three game win streak and tied for third in the East Division with the visiting Interlake Lightning.

The Lightning struck first at 11:13 while on the power play, converting a nice backdoor pass into the open net behind Adam Iwan. Play was back and forth for the remainder of the opening frame with good scoring chances in both ends. The first period ended with the Lightning ahead on the scoreboard 1-0 and the shot clock 10-7.

The Lightning extended their lead at 4:58 of the second when Ryan Elliot hammered a one timer past Iwan from point blank range. The Thrashers played with a lot more intensity and it paid off at 14:34 when Ryan Magalas scored unassisted. Magalas walked out from the corner untouched and went bar down on Interlake net minder Zack Morris. Interlake restored their 2 goal lead 2:32 later on a turn over just inside the Thrasher blue line. Ryan Elliot fired a shot from the face off circle that eluded Iwan for his third of the game. The Thrashers then found themselves in penalty trouble to end the second period. Interlake scored another power play goal at 18:39 on a scramble in front to extend their lead to three. The second ended 4-1 in favor of the Lightning and they held the edge in shots at 18-15.

The Thrashers began the third with two men in the box and the Lightning capitalized just :27 in. Adam Iwan made an outstanding save but the Lightning were too much in front banging home the rebound to make it 5-1. The Thrashers didn't fold the tent and scratched back to within two on goals by Ryan Dech at 12:18, unassisted and Mike Lazo at 16:17.  Lazo converted a nice pass Parker Thomas who was cycling behind the net. Interlake put the nail in the coffin just :20 later when Iwan again made 2 outstanding saves during a scramble in front but was unable to get a pad on the third shot. 

Shots on goal ended 30-28 in favor of the Lightning who went 3 for 5 on the power play while the Thrashers went 0-3.

December 23rd, Thrashers at Eastman

 The Thrashers made the trek to Beausejour on Wednesday looking to halt a two game losing skid and keep 2nd place in the Division in sight.

The Selects tallied first, getting on the board at 7:21 of the first with a nice pass across the slot that was banged into the open net. Eastman extended their lead at 12:01 while on the power play, scoring on a point shot past a screened Adam Iwan. The Selects made it 3 zip just twenty two seconds later on a partial break away, going top shelf on Iwan who made his fourth consecutive while McIntosh nurses a nagging injury.  The first ended 3-0 with the Selects being outshot by the visitors 10-9.

3:01 into the second the home side extended the lead to 4 on a bullet point shot that beat Iwan to the stick side. Jeremy Olinyk scored the loan Thrasher goal at 4:13 of the second while on the power play.  Parker Thomas and Connor Lockhart collected the assists.

There was no scoring in the third with the final shots on goal 34-30 in favor of the Thrashers.

December 20th, Interlake at Thrashers

 The Thrashers (12-13-2) hoped for a strong outing Sunday afternoon in order to keep pace with Divisional rivals, Interlake Lightning (12-12-3).

Interlake opened the scoring at 5:52 of the first while on the power play.  Adam Iwan stopped the original shot but the rebound fell to the side and was knocked into the net by an Interlake forward. Interlake widened the gap at 14:52 after a faceoff  squirted to the net and an Interlake forward went to the puck uncontested to knock it home past a surprised Iwan. The Thrashers pulled to within one at 17:36 when Scott Brauer held the blue line, carried the puck to the corner then fed a nice pass across the crease to Parker Thomas who made no mistake with the gift. Interlake took a 2-1 lead to the first intermission while the home side out shot the visitors 12-11.

Interlake restored their two goal lead just 2:54 into the second, again on the power play. Interlake cycled the puck up high firing a point shot past a well screened Iwan. The Thrashers climbed to within one at the 16:12 mark on a nifty play by Connor Lockhart. Lockhart carried the puck in over the Lightning line, went wide and hit the binders waiting for his mates to catch up. Lockhart fired a great pass across the crease to the far post that was redirected by a streaking Parker Thomas. David Harrison picked up the other assist on the play. That was it for scoring in the second with the Lightning enjoying a 3-2 lead.

The third period was scoreless with the final shots on goal 33-32 in favor of the visitors. Once again special teams proved problematic for the Thrashers going 0-5 with the man advantage while surrendering 2 power play goals.

December 18th, Pembina Valley at Thrashers

 The Pembina Valley Hawks rode a well executed power play  scoring 5 of their 6 goals with the man advantage to double the Thrashers 6-3 on Friday night.

Pembina Valley scored the lone goal of the first period at 4:37 while on the power play with a nice pass across the crease that was tapped in past a helpless Adam Iwan. Play in the opening frame was even with the Thrashers out shooting the Hawks 19-14.

The home side got a quick start to the second when Parker Thomas notched his team high 18th goal of the season. David Harrison sent Thomas in on a partial break away and he fought off a defender to make a nice move on Hawks goalie Reed Peters, beating him to the glove side. The Thrashers took the lead less than two minutes later when Scott Brauer ripped a point shot just wide of the net that bounced up and over the net into the crease. Connor Lockhart knocked the puck out of mid air in behind a surprised Peters. Mike Lazo collected the other assist. The Hawks evened the score at the 6:13 mark when they won a face off deep in the Thrasher zone and beat Iwan with a nice wrist shot, top shelf. The Hawks would add two more power play markers before the period was over to take a 4-2 lead into the second intermission.

The Thrashers came out in the third and tried to make a game of it with Captain Matt Garvey scoring 2:58 into the frame to pull within one. Cole Thalman fed Garvey a nice pass in the slot and he made no mistake,  roofing it from the top of the crease.  That would do it for offence from the Thrashers as they gave up two more power play goals to the Hawks. The Thrashers finished the night 0 for 7 on the power play while the visiting Hawks went 5 for 8 with the man advantage. Final shots on goal were 41-40 in favor of the Thrashers.

December 16th, Brandon at Thrashers

 The Thrashers were looking to open a 3 game home stand on the right foot with a win over the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings on Wednesday night at Gateway.

 For the second consecutive game, the Thrashers got on the board first, scoring at 1:21 of the opening frame. David Harrison beat the Brandon goalie on the short side and a bad angle. Cole Thalman collected the assist. Brandon evened the score at 9:13 while on the power play. The Wheaties stretched the Thrasher defence with passes around the perimeter before finishing with a nice back door one timer that Adam Iwan didn't have a chance on. The Wheat Kings took a two goal lead with unanswered markers at 15:33 and 17:23. Heading into the first intermission the Thrashers were down on the scoreboard, 3-1 and down in shots on goal 10-5.

The home side came out with a bit more fire in the second and got to within one on the power play. Parker Thomas fed a beautiful goal mouth pass across to Corey Petrash who tapped the puck behind the Brandon netminder. Jordan Lisowick picked up the other helper. 2:11 later, the Wheat Kings restored their two goal lead on the power play with a carbon copy of their earlier backdoor play.  Parker Thomas got the home side to within one again at 9:14 again on the power play. Corey Petrash slid a nice pass over to Thomas who had three whacks at the puck before it finally squirted in behind the Brandon goalie. The Thrashers squared the contest at 17:07 when Michael Riffel dished a pass to Ryan Kuczek at the point. Kuczek's point shot was tipped past the Brandon goaltender by Corey Petrash. The second ended 4-4 with a slight edge in shots to the visitors, 29-27.

The third period saw no scoring but several good scoring chances for both sides. Shots on goal at the end of regulation were 39-34 in favour of Brandon.

The teams went to 4 on 4 overtime and just :45 in, Colton Kalinski intercepted a Brandon clearing pass just inside the blue line. Kalinski turned and fired, beating the shocked Brandon keeper five hole for the win.

The big story on the night was the outstanding play of 15 year old affiliated player Corey Petrash of the city midget Sharks who finished the night with 2 G and 1A. In his two call ups to date Petrash has 3G and 2A. 

December 13th, Thrashers at Central Plains

 The Thrashers rolled into Gladstone looking to go 3-0 in the season series against the Central Plains Capitals.

In a change of pace for the Thrashers they scored first goal, just 1:06 into the first period. Jeremy Olinyk passed to David Harrison behind the net who in turn fed Parker Thomas on the left side of the Capitals goalie Kyle McGibney. Thomas buried a one timer slap shot low to the stick side. One minute and eleven seconds later Michael Riffel extended the lead to two when he slid a back hand along the ice through traffic that eluded the McGibney, five hole. Assists on the play went to Olinyk and Thomas. Central Plains drew to with in one at the 10:27 mark, banging home a rebound past a helpless Matt McIntosh while on the power play. The Thrashers regained their two goal lead 1:09 later when Michael Riffel picked up his second of the game, redirecting a nice pass from Jeremy Olinyk in the corner. Colton Kalinski picked up the other helper. The period ended 3-1 in favor of the visitors who also held the advantage in shots on goal by a margin of 14-7.

The only scoring of the second period was at 3:51 on a goal by Capitals forward Riley Hay. Hay pounded home a rebound on the open side. Midway through the frame the Thrashers successfully killed off a 4 minute man advantage for the Capitals.  Play throughout the period was fairly even with the shots on goal 9-9 for a two period total of 25-16, Thrashers.

The home side tied the match at 3:51 of the third when a bad bounce at the blue line got past Cody Danylchuk, sending the Capitals on a 2 on 1. They made no mistake, beating McIntosh low to the glove side with a big slap shot. Fifty four seconds later Parker Thomas restored the lead on a nice tip of an Ian Humphreys point shot. Central Plains evened the score again at 5:40 when the puck was thrown out from behind the net and went off a Capitals player and in behind McIntosh. 1:13 later, Jordan Lisowick made a nice play at the blue line to hold the zone and then slid the puck to Ryan Magalas in the slot. Magalas made no mistake, ripping a wrist shot to the top corner to restore the lead. Parker Thomas extended the lead at 9:09 with his third of the contest. Mike Riffel fired a shot on goal that McGibney had trouble handling with the rebound going high in the air. Thomas crashed the net , banging home the puck as it landed. The Thrashers extended the lead to three with a short handed tally by Mike Riffel. Colton Kalinski fed Riffel with a nice pass that sent him in all alone, beating McGibney with a wrist shot top corner on the glove side. While still on the power play eleven seconds later, Central Plains made the score 7-5 beating McIntosh with a nice deke. At 16:07 Daniel Poulin was sent off for a check from behind so the Capitals pulled their goalie for an extra attacker and a two man advantage. Mike Riffel intercepted a shoot in at the Thrasher blue line and sent a shot into the Capitals open net for his fourth goal and second short handed marker of the game.

Shots on net ended up 36-22 in favor of the Thrashers.

December 5th, South West at Thrashers

 The speedy well coached Cougars came into town hoping to sweep the season series against the Thrashers. The home side had other ideas however.

The Thrashers came storming out of the gate, taking it to the visitors on the first shift. The Cougars got on the board first though, scoring at 1:35 on their first shot of the game. The South West forward ripped a shot low to the glove side that eluded Adam Iwan. Play was fairly even after the goal and the Thrashers got the equalizer at 12:10 of the frame on a beautiful solo effort by Tyler Kauk (AP). Kauk carried the puck out of the Thrasher zone and saw some open ice, bursting up the middle and into the Cougars zone. Kauk fought off a South West defender and drove hard to the net roofing a nice shot past the Cougar net minder. The teams went to the 1st intermission tied at 1.

The home side came out in the second and it was evident that they had no intention of losing their 4th straight game to the Cougars. The Thrashers carried the play and for the second straight game used the body to assert themselves. The Thrashers scored 3 unanswered goals in the frame. Jeremy Olinyk scored at 4:50 unassisted when he broke down the left side, split the defence and waited for the Cougar goalie to commit himself before depositing it behind him. The second Thrasher goal was also set up by  Olinyk who drew the Cougar goalie to the left then fed David Harrison  in front for the easy empty netter. The third of the period came with 1 tick left on the clock. Parker Thomas broke into the South West zone as time was winding down and drove to the net, waiting until the keeper went down on one knee and banking it off his side from a bad angle. Harrison and Olinyk drew assists on the play. The Thrashers out shot South West in the period 15-8 for a two period total of 20-13.

The Thrashers surrendered the only goal of the period at 7:04 on a shot from the left face-off circle that squeezed under Iwan's arm and trickled in. The Cougars, who don't know the word quit and kept coming but the Thrashers played solid two way hockey to preserve the win. The Thrashers are happy to have seen the last of the hard working Cougars until the play offs.

December 4th, Thrashers at Wild

 In their first meeting of the season back on October 30th, the Wild had their way with the Thrashers, winning 7 - 1. The Thrashers hoped to build on recent small steps and put in a better effort on the Wild's home turf.

The Wild opened the scoring at 5:56 of the first period while on the power play, sending a nice pass to the back door that was easily converted into the open net. The Wild extended their lead at 14:52 on a 2 on 1 odd man rush. The Wild forward slid a nice pass across the crease to his mate for the easy tap in. Just over a minute later, Parker Thomas cut the lead to one when he banged home a nice pass from Jeremy Olinyk behind the net.  The Wild benefited from 4 straight power plays  including a 5 on 3 man advantage midway through the frame. The Thrashers were able to kill off all but one of the penalties.  The period ended 2 - 1 in favor of the Wild as did the shots on goal 15 - 6.

The Thrashers came out in the second with a bit more jump and really intent on taking the body. Their aggressive play paid off at 2:55 when Mike Riffel re-directed a cannon of a point shot by Scott Brauer past the Wild net minder. 1:20 later the Thrashers got caught on a bad line change giving up a 2 on 0 from the blue line in. Mat McIntosh stopped the initial shot but the rebound was knocked in behind him to regain the Wild's one goal lead. The Thrashers drew even again at the 11:51 mark when David Harrison sent Jeremy Olinyk in  all alone on a break away. Olinyk made no mistake with a nice deke to Connor Darowski's glove side.  The teams went to the second intermission knotted at 3 and the home side leading in shots on goal with 30 to the Thrasher's 18.

The Thrashers started the third short two men on the bench. Garvey (high sticking major) and Humphreys (fighting major) and looked a little sluggish. The visitors continued to take the body and the Wild were definitely hesitant to go into the corners, allowing the Thrashers to win the battles. The Wild scored the go ahead goal at 7:16 on the power play after Daniel Poulin was sent to the showers for a check from behind. With 4 seconds left in the man advantage and the face-off to the left of McIntosh, the Wild center pushed the puck forward and went straight to the goal, beating McIntosh on the short side. The Thrashers were pressuring the Wild when the game was halted due to an injury to Wild net minder Connor Darowski. Parker Thomas was going to the net looking for a pass when he was ridden into the net minder by the Wild defenseman. Darowski remained on the ice and there was immediate concern for the net minder. The Thrasher assisted the Wild's trainer in stabilizing Darowski's neck to await the arrival of an ambulance. The game was suspended with 3:25 remaining in the third. The Wild were leading 4 - 3 at the time and enjoyed a 36 to 25 shots on goal advantage.

Matt McIntosh played his best game of the season in net for the Thrashers and it was apparent that the physical play of the Thrashers is the key to success against the Wild.

The Thrasher organization hopes that Connor Darowski's injury is minor and he is back on the ice soon.      

November 29th, Thrashers at Brandon

After losing to the South West Cougars the previous evening, the Thrashers looked to get back to 500 on the season by stealing two points from the Wheat Kings in their own barn.

As has been all too often the case this season, the Thrashers surrendered the first goal at 5:24 of the opening frame while killing a penalty. Adam Iwan was beat high to the glove side on a point blank shot.  Seven minutes later the Wheat Kings took a two goal lead scoring another power play marker via a deflected point shot that went 5 hole on Iwan. Jeremy Olinyk cut the lead to one at the 16:13 mark also on the power play,  when he fed a nice pass to Parker Thomas who was stopped by the Brandon net minder. The puck trickled in behind him and Olinyk was johnny on the spot, banging home the loose puck. The home side regained their two goal lead with only 1:28 remaining in the frame. Brandon took a harmless shot at the goal that was 10 feet wide but bounced off a Thrasher defender and in behind a surprised Iwan who had no chance on the play. The Thrashers went to the first intermission trailing 3-1 and being out shot 13-12.

The Thrashers came out in the second with an inspired effort, closing the gap to 3-2 on the power play at 7:28. Jeremy Olinyk walked out from the corner untouched and slipped the puck around the Brandon keeper for his second of the game. Brandon restored their two goal lead at 10:45 when a Thrasher defender slipped in the neutral zone giving the home side a 3 on 1. They made no mistake converting a goal mouth pass in behind a helpless Iwan. They extended their lead less than a minute later while on a 4 minute power play, beating Iwan high to the glove side. Cole Thalman fresh off the bench on a change gathered up a clearing pass and going in all alone. He made no mistake, beating the Brandon goalie low to the stick side for the short handed goal. The Thrashers cut the lead to one at 15:38 on the power play when Parker Thomas fired a pass across the crease that went off a defender's skate and in behind the Brandon keeper. The Thrashers went to the second intermission down just 5-4 but being out shot 27-18.

The Wheat Kings regained their two goal lead just 1:21 into the third on a scramble in front of the net with Iwan on his back after making 3-4 big stops. Brandon kept banging away, eventually knocking home the loose puck. 1:30 later Parker Thomas pulled the Thrashers to within one again when he banked a shot off the back of the Brandon goalie from behind the net.  Brandon again took a two goal lead at 10:51 when they out hustled the Thrasher defence in the corner. After winning the battle they fed a nice pass to the slot that was converted top corner. The Thrashers wouldn't fold though as Daniel Poulin scored at 14:33 on a great individual effort. Poulin took a good hard shot on net that the Brandon keeper couldn't handle, giving up a juicy rebound. Poulin grabbed his own rebound and beat the goalie low to the stick side to make it a one goal game. Brandon stood their ground for the remainder of the game to edge the Thrashers 7-6. The final shots on goal were 36-32 in favor of the Wheat Kings.

Jeremy Olinyk had a 5 point outing for the Thrashers 2G, 3A while Parker Thomas finished with 2G, 1A. Poulin and Thalman rounded out the scoring with Dech, Garvey, Humphreys and Harrison picking up one assist each.

November 28th, Thrashers at South West

Hoping to build on back to back wins last weekend, the Thrashers rolled into Souris looking to add two more points to their total.

The first period saw the Thrashers carry most of the play early on but come up empty on the score board. The Thrashers best chance of the frame came when Cole Thalman rattled one off the post midway through the period. The Cougars got on the board first with the power play at 16:23 when two Cougars were left all alone on the door step, beating Matt McIntosh who had no chance on the play. The period ended 1-0 in favor of the home side as did the shots on goal 12-4.

 The Thrashers came out flat in the second giving up the Cougar's second goal at 7:23 when South West went in on a clear cut break away. McIntosh got a big piece of the shot but it managed to trickle in behind him and into the net. South West added another at 17:51 on the power play with a screened shot from the point. The Thrashers went into the second intermission down 3-0 and trailing in shots on goal 20-8.

The third period saw the Thrashers come out with a little more jump. Jeremy Olinyk drew the Thrashers  to within 2 at 11:58 when he skated into the slot after getting a nice drop pass from David Harrison and burying a nice wrist shot to the top corner.  The Cougars rounded out the scoring at 16:32 on the power play with a nice one timer from the back door.

South West out shot the Thrashers 25-16. 

November 21st, Yellowhead at Thrashers

In their last meeting a week ago,  it took overtime for the Thrashers to defeat the 2-10-3 Chiefs.

It was a different story Saturday afternoon at Gateway with the Thrashers down 5 regular players, 3 to injury and 2 to suspension from last nights fracas at the end of the game. The Thrashers, with 4 affiliated players in the line-up simply dominated the visiting Chiefs. Mike Lazo opened the scoring at 5:33 of the first, banging home a loose puck in the crease. Assists went to Connor Lockhart and Ryan Magalas. The first period ended with the Thrashers leading 1-0 and out shooting Yellowhead 17-9.

The Thrashers tallied 3 unanswered markers in the second frame. Colton Kalinski scored his 8th of the season just 1:24 in, converting a nice pass across the crease from Jeremy Olinyk. David Harrison picked up the other assist. Ian Humphreys scored 5:13 later on a blast from the point that was deflected by a defender. Matt Garvey and Mike Riffel assisted on the goal. Mike Lazo notched his team leading 10th goal and second of the game when Ryan Magalas sent him in all alone at 9:32.  The Thrashers went to the second intermission with a 4-0 lead and the edge in shots with 34-15.

The home side found themselves in penalty trouble early in the third but were able to kill off the 5 on 3 advantage with no damage done. The Thrashers carried the play for most of the period and limited Yellowhead to just 6 shots on goal. Mike Riffel rounded out the scoring with just 2 ticks left on the clock to make the score 5-0, with the assist going to AP player Kevin Shek.

Adam Iwan turned away all 21 shots on goal to earn the shut out, while the Thrashers directed 43 shots at the Chiefs netminder.

The Thrashers are now 9-9-2 and have a week off before their next game in Souris on Saturday.

November 20th, Central Plains at Thrashers

Coming off a disappointing loss in Arborg on Wednesday night the Thrashers were looking for redemption and 2 points with the Central Plains Capitals coming to town.

Once again the Thrashers surrendered the first goal as Central Plains scored at 4:52 of the first, jamming home a loose puck to the stick side of Matt McIntosh. The Thrashers tied it at 7:13 on the power play when Jordan Lisowick fed the puck down low to Jeremy Olinyk who walked out from the corner and beat  Capitals goaltender Bryan Tait. The other assist went to Matt Garvey. The Capitals regained the lead at 16:29 while enjoying a 5 on 3 power play. Parker Thomas knotted the score at 2 when he banged home a loose puck in the crease. Jeremy Olinyk and Colton Kalinski picked up the assists. The Thrashers took the lead just 36 seconds later when Matt Garvey went bar down from the face off circle. The home side took a 3-2 lead to the first intermission despite being out shot 9-8 by the Capitals.

The Thrashers stepped up their play in the second and really started moving the puck around. The Capitals found themselves in penalty trouble in the second with two consecutive penalties giving the home side a two man advantage. The Thrashers made good use of it scoring 2 goals. Colton Kalinski scored at 7:30 with a good hard shot that beat Tait low to the glove side. Michael Riffel notched his first of the season a minute and four seconds later when he redirected a nice feed from Garvey past Tait. The Thrashers capitalized again on the power play at 13:26 when Colton Kalinski potted his second of the game on a great pass from behind the net by Ryan Magalas. The Thrashers went to the break with a comfortable 6-2 lead, out shooting Central Plains 8-4.

The lead may have been a little too comfortable as the Capitals came out in the third and scored just 18 seconds into the frame on a partial break away. They added another less than 3 minutes later to cut the lead to 2 on a nice deflection of a point shot the McIntosh had no chance on. Central Plains climbed to within one on the power play at 7:32 scoring during a scramble in front. The Thrashers tightened up their game and controlled most of the play from the point on. Jeremy Olinyk provided some breathing room when he pounced on a rebound following a shot from Garvey to restore the two goal lead and make the score 7-5 Thrashers.  Tensions boiled over at the final buzzer when a Capital player cross checked Cody Danylchuk. A line brawl ensued and there are sure to be suspensions. The final shots on goal  tally was 34-23 in favor of the Thrashers.  

Matt Garvey broke out of his scoring slump with a 4 point night, 1 goal, 3 assists, while Jeremy Olinyk had another strong outing with 2 goals, 1 assist. Colton Kalinski also had a strong game with 2 goals and 1 assist.

November 18th, Thrashers at Interlake

The 7 - 9 - 2 Thrashers made the trip to Arborg hoping to distance themselves in the standings from the 6 - 10 -2 Lightning. As with so many games this season the opposition scored first when Interlake got on the board just 25 seconds into the contest on a shot from the left face off circle that beat Adam Iwan high to the stick side. The Thrashers answered back at the 7:21 mark when Mike Lazo walked out from the corner and beat the Lightning tender 5 hole. 1:18 later Interlake scored their first of 3 unanswered goals to take a 4 - 1 lead into the first intermission.  Interlake out shot the Thrashers 18 - 15 in the opening frame.

The Thrashers came out for the second with a lot more jump. Connor Lockhart scored at 7:21 when he tapped home a rebound. AP player Corey Petrash pulled the Thrashers within one at 14:34 when pounced on a loose puck in the crease after Matt Garvey drove to the net and was stopped. The Thrashers headed into the second intermission trailing by one. Despite outplaying the Lightning slightly in the second the shots on goal for the period were 19 - 8 in favor of Interlake.

The Thrashers came out strong in the third and Daniel Poulin squared the game scoring un-assisted with a nice slapshot that beat the Lightning goal tender low to the stick side.  The Lightning regained the lead just 48 seconds later on a shot from the slot. The home side increased their lead to 2 at 7:45 when they slid a loose puck beneath Iwan after a scramble in the crease. Interlake put it out of reach at 14:16 on a nifty pass a 2 on 1, the shot beating Matt McIntosh who was playing in relief of Iwan. The shots ended 50 - 35 in favor of Interlake. Lazo and Petrash each notched a goal and an assist while Lockhart and Poulin added a single each. Assists also went to Garvey (1), Thomas (1) and Magalas (1).  

November15th, Thrashers at Parkland

After a hard fought contest the previous evening the Thrashers landed in Dauphin hoping to extend their win streak to two games against Parkland. Parkland got  the board first with a goal at the 3:23 mark of the first on a snipe from the face off circle to the left of at McIntosh. Play was fairly even through the first period despite some questionable calls on the Thrashers. Parker Thomas was ejected midway through the frame for a marginal check from behind call. Soon after, the Thrash were down 2 men after a slashing call. Both penalties were killed and the visitors got out of the period only down one. Shots on goal were 11 - 9 in favor of the Thrash.

The Thrashers drew even at 7:13 when Jeremy Olinyk converted a nice pass from David Harrison who fed it out front from behind the net. Jordan Lisowick collected the other assist. Just over 2 minutes later Olinyk returned the favor when he assisted on David Harrison's at the side of the net. The Thrashers controlled most of the play in the second period with the shots on goal 36 - 19 in favor of the Thrash and a 2 - 1 lead.

The Thrashers played a tight third period, not allowing many quality scoring chances. Parkland put a good scare in to the visitor with the goalie on the bench in favor of the extra attacker. They came close to tying a goal mouth scramble with 2 seconds left on the clock. Parkland crashed the net as all eleven skaters on the ice were in McIntosh's crease. He made a huge glove save while on his back to preserve the win. Fianl shots on goal were 46 - 38 Thrashers.     

November 14th, Thrashers at Yellowhead

The Thrashers got off the bus looking to avenge an overtime loss to the Chiefs earlier in the season. Yellowhead came out strong in front of a capacity crowd at Elkhorn arena, scoring first at the 7:24 mark . Adam Iwan thought  he had  the puck squeezed but it lay behind him in the crease and was batted home by a Yellowhead forward. Play was back and forth for the rest of the period and ended 1 - 0 for the home side. Yellowhead had the edge in shots with 14 to the Thrashers 13.

The Thrashers tied the game at 3:58 of the second on the power play. Jeremy Olinyk scored on a nice pass from Parker Thomas. Yellohead regained the lead at 8:32 with a nice shot to the top corner. The Thrashers answered at 13:03 when Connor Lockhart scored on a nice solo effort, going behind the net for the wrap around marker on the power play. Yellowhead took the lead once again on a 2 on 1 at 14:15. Parker Thomas knotted the score at 3 when the Chiefs goalie came to play the puck but couldn't clear the zone. Jeremy Olinyk fed the puck to Thomas who tapped it into an open net. Less than a minute later Ryan Magalas put the Thrashers in the lead and the period ended 4 - 3 in favor of the Thrashers. Shots at the end of the second were 29 - 25 for Yellowhead.

Yellowhead came out firing in the third, scoring just 21 seconds in. The Thrashers regained the lead at 4:38 on Parker Thomas's second goal of the game from the corner and beat the Chiefs netminder. Play was tight the rest of the period until a penalty gave the Chiefs a power play with just over 2 minutes left. Yellowhead pulled their goalie for the two man advantage and it worked as they scored with only 36 ticks left on the clock. The third ended tied at 5.

The Thrashers held the edge in play in overtime and capitalized with 47 seconds remaining in the extra frame. Jeremy Olinyk was the hero, redirecting a point shot from Jared Williamson.

Final shots on goal were 40 - 38 in favor of Yellowhead.

November 13th, Norman North Stars at Thrashers

Norman stormed out to a 3 - 0 lead before the game was 10 minutes old. Scoring their first on a blast from the left face-off circle, beating Matt McIntosh low to the stick side at 2:17. Their second came on a break away at 3:33. The third Norman goal was scored on the power play as a point shot was redirected past a screened McIntosh at the 9:21 mark.  The Thrashers kept their composure and battled back, scoring at 11:21. The marker came on as Jeremy Olinyk  fed a pass out front to David Harrison. Harrison made no mistake redirecting the puck behind the Norman goalie. The Thrashers pulled within one at the 13:21 mark on the power play. Jared Williamson fed the puck across to Scott Brauer who's point shot was tipped nicely by Parker Thomas past the Norman goal tender. The period ended 3 -2 and the Thrashers out shooting Norman 11 - 10.

The second saw the Thrashers take the momentum away from Norman and they dominated most of the period. Jeremy Olinyk scored at 3:09 redirecting a waist high pass from Parker Thomas in the corner to knot the game at 3. Five minutes later, call-up Sean Collins made a nifty move at the blue line and made his way to the slot where his shot found its way past the Norman goaltender to go ahead on the power play. Norman's fourth goal came at 14:04 when McIntosh was beaten top shelf by a hard shot from the right face-off circle. Norman got the go ahead marker at 16:16 when Adam Iwan was beaten by a shot on a two on one. The period ended 5 - 4 in favor of Norman despite being out played and out shot by the Thrashers 14 - 8.

Norman scored on the power play at 5:37 of the third to take a two goal lead. The Thrashers played well again in the third but couldn't put the puck past Norman goaltender Ryan Delorme. Norman scored once more at 14:38 to make the final score 7 -4 North Stars. The Thrashers out shot Norman in the final frame 12 - 11. The final shots on goal were 36 - 28 in favor of the Thrashers.

The Thrashers hit the road Saturday for games Elkhorn (Yellowhead) and Dauphin (Parkland).

November 8th, Thrashers at Southwest Cougars

The Thrash got off the bus with something to prove after losing to the Cougars in a shoot out last weekend.

Southwest tallied first, 12:50 into the opening frame on a clear cut break away. Thrasher goalie Adam Iwan got a big piece of the shot but the puck trickled behind. him. Play went back and forth most of the first period with a slight edge in play going to the home side. The Cougars out shot the Thrashers 18 -11.

The Thrashers came out in the second and played a tighter game. Their efforts paid off when the speedy Colton Kalinski was sent in on a break away on a pass from Parker Thomas. Kalinski's shot was initially stopped by the Cougar net minder but a Southwest back checker drove Kalinski and the goalie into the net. When the dust settled the puck was in the net and the score was tied at one. The second ended with the shots on goal 24-19 in favor of Southwest.

The third period was played pretty even but the Cougars had the best scoring chances. Adam Iwan made several huge saves for the Thrashers in the third including a beauty of a glove save on a clear cut break away. The Cougars built on their momentum and scored with just 1:51 remaining in the game.

The bright spot in this game was the play of Adam Iwan, who gave the Thrashers a chance to win right up to the final buzzer.

Final shots on goal were 36 - 26 in favor of the Cougars.

November 7th, Thrashers at Brandon Wheat Kings

After a great start to the weekend with a hard fought 3 - 2 win over Parkland on Friday night, the Thrashers hit the road for games in Brandon ( Wheat Kings) and Souris (Southwest).

On Saturday, Brandon hit the board first with a bad bounce that went over Matt McIntosh's shoulder just 1:32 into the game.  Brandon's second of the game came at 11:24 of the first with the Wheaties on a 2 man advantage. A point shot was tipped in front and McIntosh had no chance. The first ended with the shots on goal 16-15  and the score 2 -0 in favor of the home side.

The Wheat Kings extended their lead to 3 at 11:20 of the second when Thrasher netminder Matt McIntosh made a great first save but received no help as Brandon  banged home the rebound. With just 11 seconds remaining in the second, Ryan Dech cut the lead to 2 when he pounced on a loose puck in the face off circle and beat the Brandon goalie high to the glove side. The second ended 3 - 1 and the Wheat Kings out shooting the Thrashers  16 - 9.

The Thrashers came out flat in the third and couldn't muster any offence. Brandon scored at 9:32 to put the game out of reach and added another at the 14:50 mark to make the final score. 5 - 1. Final shots on goal were 40 - 27 in favor of the Wheat Kings.

The Thrashers were looking to close out their "home away from home" stint in Selkirk Saturday afternoon with a win against the visiting Southwest Cougars.

The opening period saw the Cougars score on their first shot on goal, 12 seconds into the game. A screened shot from the top of the face off circle beat Matt McIntosh high to the stick side. The play was back and forth most of the period with few scoring chances. The period ended 1-0 for the Cougars who out shot the home side 5-2.

The Thrashers played a little better in the second and built some momentum. Connor Lockhart notched his first of the season at 15:31 with assists going to Mike Lazo and Jared Williamson. The home side took the lead at 18:12 with a goal from Ryan Magalas. David Harrison did the bull work on the goal, getting the puck to Jeremy Olinyk behind net. Olinyk fed a nifty pass out front to Magalas who buried the one timer. The Thrashers gave it right back though, as Southwest scored on a goal mouth scramble with just 24 ticks left on the clock. The second ended 2-2 with the Thrashers getting the edge in shots 10-8.

Early in the third the Thrashers found themselves in penalty trouble when Matthew Garvey sprung Mike Lazo on a breakaway with a beautiful bank pass off the boards. Lazo made no mistake going top corner stick side to notch the shorthanded goal. The Cougars stormed back though and scored a minute later on the same power play. The rest of the period went scoreless as did the 5 minute overtime frame.

The teams went to a shoot out with the Cougars scoring on their first shot. The Cougars goalie made all three saves to take the shoot out 1-0.

Final shots on goal 22-22.

The Thrashers once again found themselves taking too many penalties, 9 to the Cougars 5.

Thrashers next game is back at home (Gateway) on Friday Nov. 6th when Parkland is in town.