Red Wings claim HTJHL championship

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This article was published 18/03/2015 (3326 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Grunthal Red Wings won the Hanover Tache Junior Hockey League championship Wednesday night in Steinbach as they scored a hard fought 4-2 victory, which included an empty netter, over the defending champion Huskies. The Red Wings swept the Huskies four straight in the final series, exacting revenge of sorts for the four-game sweep the Huskies subjected them to in last year’s finals.

In last night’s game, twice the Red Wings took the lead and both times the plucky Huskies fought back to tie it. But when Jayden Plett scored on the powerplay five minutes into the third period giving the Red Wings a 3-2 lead, that goal stood up as the winner.

The Huskies then mounted a furious attack in attempts to tie the game but John Laninga stood tall in net and warded them off to preserve the victory. Brody Kornelsen added an empty netter with five seconds remaining. Laninga made 37 saves, as the Huskies, in their most determined effort of the series, outshot the Red Wings 39-29.

Brady Musey opened the scoring for the Red Wings as he beat Spencer Broesky on a breakaway just 1:45 after the opening face-off. But Kalem Penner quickly tied it for the Huskies two minutes later. Jayden Plett, with his first of two powerplay markers in the game, restored the Grunthal lead four minutes into the second. But again, the Huskies tied it just two minutes later as Arnell Evans beat Laninga.

Although that brings to an end the HTJHL season, Steinbach and Grunthal are waging another battle in the Carillon Senior Hockey League finals, which the Huskies currently lead 2-0. Game three in the series will be played tonight at 8:00 p.m. at Grunthal.