Tigers defeat Trojans

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Published on Tuesday, February 9, 2016

By Eoin Devereux

Neepawa Banner/Neepawa Press

The Neepawa Tigers closed out the Westman High School Hockey League (WHSHL) regular season with and 6-5 win over the Major Pratt Trojans. 

Neepawa took early control of the contest, scoring three goals in the opening period. Ben Rainka scored a pair, while Bryce Kusugak added a single. That made it a 3-1 lead for the home side after 20 minutes.

In the second, the Tigers continued to control the game, notching another pair, including the third of the night for Rainka. Wiley Speiss also scored to give Neepawa what appeared to be an insurmountable lead. Appearances however, proved to be deceiving. 

Before the end of the second, Major Pratt scored their second goal of the game. Then in the third, the Trojans put on the pressure and rallied to score three goals, including one with just two and a half seconds remaining in regulation, to tie the contest up at 5-5.

The five minute overtime remained gridlocked, so the victory would ultimately come down to a shootout.

During the shootout, Ryan Kostenchuk and Tysne Stanski would both slip shots past the Major Pratt goaltender, while Neepawa’s Brenden Funk shut the door on any more offensive out from the Trojans, to ensure the win.

With the regular season now officially over, the Tigers look forward to the start of the consolation playoff, where they are slated as the fourth seed. The WHSHL playoff schedule is expected to be finalized and announced within the next week.