Playing five games in eight days, the Manitoba Junior Hockey League squad posted a 3-2 record. The victories – all on the road - included a regulation win by a goal, an overtime contest, and a 10-3 rout. There was also an OT loss. All combined, it improved Virden’s record to 21-18-4-0.
As well, the stretch saw several Oil Caps achieve the 100 MJHL game milestone: Jackson Orr, Manson’s Bray Rookes, Nathan Driver, and Elkhorn’s Parker Johnson. Last week Virden continued building for next season by signing Southwest Cougars U18 AAA goalie Owen Larocque. The Wawanesa product had a 2.68 goals against average at the time of his signing.
The team is on the road Friday to play the Swan Valley Stampeders (20-20-1-4). The squads tangle again Saturday in Virden. With 46 points in the standings, as of Tuesday, the Oil Caps were one ahead of the Stamps for third place in the MJHL West.
“I came down on my forehand, pulled it across to my backhand and slipped it five-hole,” Thoendel
Virden ended its run of games with a 10-3 drubbing of the host Waywayseecappo Wolverines on Tuesday. After holding a 3-2 first period lead, the Oil Caps outscored the Wolverines 4-1 in the second and added three more goals in the third. Virden was 4-for-5 on the powerplay, while Waywayseecappo was 2-for-4. Eleven players recorded points for the Oil Caps. Scoring for Virden were Carson Buydens (two), Braden Fischer (two), Branden Huminuk, Tyler Thoendel, Johnson, Driver, Trevor Hunt, and Rands. Dylan Halliday assisted on four of the Oil Caps’ goals.
Virden goalie Bailey Monteith stopped 22 of the 25 shots he faced. Jase Wareham made 19 saves for Waywayseecappo.
In Neepawa, on Feb. 12, the Virden team won in overtime, 5-4. Thoendel delivered the game winner on a breakaway.
“I came down on my forehand, pulled it across to my backhand and slipped it five-hole,” he said.
Virden trailed 2-0 in the first and pulled to with one, 2-1, on a Buydens goal before the end of the period. Colten Miller tied things up in the second and Brody Wilson put Virden up 3-2 on a shorthanded marker in the third. Neepawa knotted it up at 3-3 on a powerplay. Fischer’s own powerplay marker put his team on top 4-3. In the final three minutes, Neepawa answered to send the game to overtime.
Eric Reid started for Virden and stopped seven of the nine shots he faced. Monteith came on and made 20 saves on 22 shots. Neepawa’s Gavin Renwick had 27 saves.
On Feb. 11, Neepawa beat the Oil Caps, 6-0, at home. The hosts fired 30 shots at Emerik Demers but could not get one by him. Monteith had 23 saves.
In the second of two back-to-back road games in OCN, the Oil Caps earned a 4-3 victory on Feb. 9. After trailing 1-0 and 2-1 at the intermissions, the Virden squad scored three unanswered goals in the third, including an empty net marker. OCN added a goal late in the game. Driver lit the lamp twice for Virden. Also scoring for the Oil Caps were Miller and Beau Larson. Monteith had 34 saves, while OCN’s Steven Bacovsky stopped 54 of the whopping 57 shots Virden sent at him.
The night before, Virden took a 2-1 second period lead on a goal by Johnson after there was a 1-1 tie at the first intermission. OCN tied things up in the third and Dain Sardelli scored in the extra session for a 3-2 win. Reid posted 34 saves. Bacovsky made 42.
