The Stonewall Jets answered a tough road loss with a pair of strong performances over the weekend, earning a 4-3 overtime win over the Pembina Valley Twisters on Friday before knocking off league-leading Transcona 5-1 on Sunday.
Stonewall’s three-game stretch opened Thursday night in St. Vital, where the Jets outshot the Jr. Victorias 46-36 but fell 7-2 at St. Vital Centennial Arena.
Karson King opened the scoring just 1:37 into the game, converting a feed from Gavin Holod and Rylan Slatcher to give Stonewall an early lead. St. Vital answered later in the first and then took control in the second period, scoring four times to open up a 5-1 advantage.
Adam Newcombe scored late in the second period to cut into the deficit, but St. Vital added two more goals in the third to seal the win. Mason Tabak stopped 44 shots for the Jr. Victorias, while Stonewall went 0-for-5 on the power play.
The Jets bounced back Friday night at Stonewall Veterans Memorial, edging Pembina Valley 4-3 in overtime.
Cohen Cheung opened the scoring early, and Gavin Holod added a power-play goal in the second period before Evan McMurtry restored Stonewall’s lead late in the frame. Pembina Valley tied the game with a third-period power-play marker, forcing overtime.
Holod ended it just 1:07 into the extra frame, scoring his second of the night after taking a pass from Peyton Bateman. Ron Cailo made 23 saves to earn the win.
Stonewall capped the weekend with an impressive road victory Sunday afternoon, handing the Transcona Railer Express just their fourth loss of the season in a 5-1 decision at Ed Golding Arena.
Austin Lourenco opened the scoring on the power play late in the first period, and Peyton Bateman doubled the lead midway through the second. The Jets put the game away early in the third with goals from Rylan Slatcher, King on the power play, and Seth Clements shorthanded.
KC Couckuyt was sharp in goal, stopping 38 of 39 shots, as Stonewall went 2-for-7 on the power play and 6-for-6 on the penalty kill.
With the two wins, the Jets improved to 19-12-1 and moved into a tie for third place in the MMJHL standings with 39 points.
Stonewall returns to action Friday, Jan. 30, when it visits the Charleswood Hawks for a 7:30 p.m. start, followed by a road game Sunday against the Ft. Garry/Ft. Rouge Twins.
