Blues Hang On In A Wild One Against Wayway

It looked more like a football score than a hockey score, but in the end, the Winnipeg Blues scored one more than the Waywayseecappo Wolverines in an 8-7 win at the MTS Ice Plex on Saturday night.

Paul Van De Velde would open the scoring in the first for the Wolverines, collecting his first of a 5 point night midway through the period.

The Blues would add the next two thanks to Evan Gravenor collecting his 18th and 19th of the year.  Before the period would end Wayway would tie things up on a goal by Ryan Duhaime and things were knotted at 2 after the opening frame.

Van De Velde would once again be the first to score in the second period, just over 5 minutes in, but the Blues would pot three unanswered from Paul Bonar, Connor Cleverely and Jeff Borse to take a 5-3 lead into the third period.

And the goals kept coming early and often in the third period.  Shane Goodrunning scored eleven seconds in, putting the Wolverines within one.

Then another three unanswered by the Blues, this time it was Gravenor completing the hat-trick, Adam Stoykewych, and Dylan Kelly all lighting the lamp.

That made it 8-4 with under four minutes left in the third period.

But the game was far from over.   The Wolverines stormed back, with Duhaime scoring his second of the game, with just over a minute to go.

Twenty five seconds later Matt Malenstyn would get Wayway within two getting the puck behind Blues netminder Brett Martyniuk, making the score 8-6 with forty nine seconds left.

Seven seconds later Van De Velde completed his hat-trick, and the Wolverines were within a goal of completing a miracle comeback.

But the Blues would hang on and skate away with a 8-7 win.

Other notables.  Blues Jason Gardiner had a great night, collecting 4 assists in the win.
                         Wolverines Brett Pinkerton also collected 4 helpers on the night.

The Blues record now improves to 8-13-2-5 on the year, and 2-1-0-0 over the Wolverines this season.

Next action for the Blues is Thursday, November 25th when they'll welcome the Winkler Flyers to the MTS Ice Plex.   Winnipeg is 0-2-1-0 against the Flyers so far this season.

Puck Drop is set for 7:30