Tigers blank Devils to begin playoffs

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Published on Tuesday, February 16, 2016

File photo. The Tigers have hit their stride at the right time, as the WHSHL playoffs get underway.

By Eoin Devereux

Neepawa Banner/Neepawa Press

The Neepawa Tigers hockey team appears to have found its ‘A’ game at just the right time. After winning its final two games of the Westman High School Hockey League regular season, the club maintained that momentum into the playoffs, defeating the Melita/Waskada Devils 5-0.

The game, held on Thursday, Feb. 11 at the Yellowhead Arena, saw Tigers captain Cole Krutkewich open the scoring late in the first period, to provide the home side with a 1-0 buffer after the first 20 minutes of action. 

In the second, Neepawa was able to take over complete control of the game and did so very quickly, scoring three goals within the first 137 seconds. Ben Rainka opened up the onslaught just 34 seconds into the middle frame. He then quickly followed that up with his second of the period, just over 90 seconds later on a power play. Krutkewich added another goal of his own about 12 seconds after that to make it a 4-0 advantage for NACI. 

Krutkewich secured a hat-trick for Neepawa in the third period to ensure the home team claimed game one of the best-of-three series, by the final score of 5-0. Goaltender Brenden Funk picked up the shutout for Neepawa.