Game six needed four OT periods for a decision; Jakob Jones got the winning goal
It took six games and four periods of overtime in game six, but the Winkler Flyers finally ousted the Virden Oil Capitals to move on to the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s championship final for the first time since 2002.
The Flyers won Monday night’s game 2-1 to take the series four games to two.
The marathon final game was tied at 1-1 in the first 10 minutes after Zach Nicolas drew first blood for Winkler, only to have Virden’s Josh Lehto tie it up a minute later.
That was it for goals through the rest of regulation and three overtime periods that saw the Flyers outshoot the Oil Capitals but fail to find the mark.
Finally, in the fourth extra period, Jakob Jones got the game winner unassisted 51 seconds in to put an end to Virden’s hopes of extending the series to game seven.
Malachi Klassen made 36 saves in net for Winkler as the Flyers won the shots battle 49-37.
The entire semi-final series was a close one. Virden took game one 4-0 but then Winkler tied it up with a 2-1 win in game two.
In game three on April 9, Virden reclaimed the lead with a 4-1 win. Dalton Andrew scored the Flyers’ lone goal while Klassen faced 19 shots on net, stopping 16.
The Flyers bounced back in a big way in game four on the road last week Thursday.
Nicolas got Winkler on the board early in the first, but Virden tied it up with just a few minutes left on the clock.
Two goals from the Oil Capitals in the second to Winkler’s one (scored by James Richard) had Virden in the lead 3-2 after 40 minutes.
The Flyers managed to tie it up 40 seconds into the third thanks to Jones, and then Andrew pulled his team into the lead 4-3 in the fifth minute, but Virden got that one back in the 13th to ultimately send the game into overtime.
The first overtime period solved nothing, but then Andrew managed to fire home the winning goal midway through the second to give Winkler the win 5-4 and tie the series at two games each.
Klassen stood tall in net once again, making 26 saves off 30 shots. His teammates sent 45 the other way.
The Flyers then took a 3-2 series lead with another double overtime win Saturday night in Winkler.
This time they won it 2-1, Nicolas having scored the only regulation goal for Winkler in the second period (Virden got their goal just a handful of minutes later). Trent Penner then scored the winning goal 11:13 into the second overtime period.
Klassen made 39 saves this match as the Flyers outshot Virden 44-40.
The Flyers will now face either the OCN Blizzard or the Steinbach Pistons in the final round. The Pistons managed to hang on with a win Monday night that tied that series at 3-3. Game seven is Wednesday night.
Penner headed to Alaska
In other Flyers news, team captain Trent Penner has signed with the NCAA Division 1 University of Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks Hockey Program.
The Winkler native has played four years with the Flyers, contributing 151 points (70 goals and 81 assists) in 164 games with the team.
“I believe Fairbanks is a place where I’ll have the ability to develop my game and get a good education,” Penner said of the decision to play Alaska. “The great coaching staff and facilities as well as the chance to experience a new part of the world made the decision pretty easy.”
“Trent has been an integral player and person to the Flyers and city of Winkler. A resilient young man ,he has overcome many moments of adversity throughout the last few seasons and continues to come out stronger,” said Flyers head coach and general manager Justin Falk. “We are excited for him that he gets to continue playing hockey at an elite NCAA Division 1 level while furthering his education at a tremendous program in Alaska Fairbanks.”
