It’s time for another Three Stars of the Week, which is brought to you by Paull Funeral Home and Crematorium. Every Monday we will be awarding three players who had a big week and giving them stars. We will be doing this week-to-week with points accumulating throughout the season. The top three will players will be recognized and presented an award during our final home game of the season.
The Swan Valley Stampeders played two games last week and only collected one point for their efforts against the Waywayseecappo Wolverines. The home-and-home games closed out the season series between the two teams that could end up being a first-round playoff matchup if the cards hold the way they are.
The Stampeders held their own against the Wolverines last Wednesday on home ice, putting up a pair of goals in the first period and looked to be in control of the game. Well, that went out the window in the second and third periods as Kolton Shindle scored a pair of goals to force overtime and then a shootout in which the Wolverines completed the comeback and stole the extra point.
Friday night’s game was much of the same old Stampeder hockey and the parade to the penalty box didn’t help their cause. The team did receive a boost as two injured players were cleared for action. Nicolas Roussel and Lare Pahtayken returned to the lineup, bringing the physicality and grit the team has been so desperately missing as of late. Trey Sauder was a healthy scratch as the Swan River product served game one of his two-game suspension for an accumulation of kneeing penalties this year. Ethan Matchim, Justin Keck and Adam Ward all collected goals in the 6-3 loss on the road.
An interesting note if you like stats – Matchim has now scored in three consecutive games played, two of which were power play markers against the Wolverines.
Swan Valley has been in an all-out dog fight with the teams surrounding them in the West Division since November. Win two, lose two, win one, lose one, it has been a weird year, to say the least under head coach and general manager Barry Wolff. Something his teams haven’t had a problem with in the past is inconsistency. The Stampeders have just ten games remaining in the season, four of which are home games, and need almost every point they can get to stay ahead of Neepawa and overtake Virden for third place.
Swan Valley will need to shake off the last two weeks and get back to work as their season hinges on the next few games as the standing in the West have just got interesting.
Three stars point system is as follows:
1st Star = 3 points
2nd Star = 2 points
3rd Star = 1 point
Check back every Monday for the Paull Funeral Home & Crematorium, Three Stars of the week.
THREE STARS (Feb. 6 – Feb. 11)
3rd Star
Adam Rajsigl takes over this week’s third-star award add the 19-year-old continues to add points on the score sheet. The Tecumseh, Ont. product added a pair of assists Friday night in Wayway. The 5’10” 165lbs. defenceman sits fourth in team scoring with 31 points (6G, 25A).
2nd Star
Justin Keck returns to the three stars of the week awards with a solid couple of games against the Wolverines. The 19-year-old Morris, Man. product collected a goal and assist last week in a pair of losses to Wayway. The 5’10” 170lbs forward sits 13th in team scoring with 12 points (6G, 6A).
1st Star
Ethan Matchim regains the first-star award with his solid play as of late. The 20-year-old Calgary, Alta. product scored power play markers in both games against Wayway last week, and now has goals in three consecutive games. The 6’5” 216lbs defenceman sits 11th in team scoring with 15 points (4G, 11A).
Swan will travel to OCN Tuesday night for a one-off game against the Blizzard, who are coming off a 7-2 win over the Dauphin Kings.
STANDINGS (Point Leaders)
18 – Carter Cockburn
13 – Cody Barnes
10 – Quinn Mulder
9 – Kobe Grant
6 – Adam Rajsigl
4 – Jacob Paler-Chow
4 – Callum Fortin
3 – Ethan Matchim
3 – Dylan Black
3 – Brad Fortin
3 – Trey Sauder
3 – Tyler Park
3 – Justin Keck
2 – Myles Mason
2 – Collin Jennings
1 – Darius Makse