Sometimes, when training camp rosters get put together, the teams can turn out to be more lopsided than the staff putting them together intend. The Wheat Kings staff deserve full marks if day one is anything to judge by, however.
Two close games, one of which went to overtime, were the story of the first day of training camp. The games had some true intensity to them as well, as it was clear the players involved weren’t pulling any punches in their bid to either make the team or elevate themselves in the lineup.
The opening game between Team Propp and Team Kidd went the distance and saw both rookies and veterans put on an impressive display. Matteo Michels scored a beautiful goal for Team Propp, but at the other end the line of Nolan Flamand, Rylen Roersma, and Brady Turko put on a show of their own. Team Kidd appeared to have the game sewn up, but some late heroics from camp invitee Kutcher Aquila helped Propp tie the score.
Overtime didn’t last long. On the very first shift, Roger McQueen poked the puck loose in his own zone and went away to the races. As he raced up ice with Charlie Elick tracking him down, McQueen had just enough time to get a shot away and ripped home the OT winner.
Next up were Team Schenn and Team Provorov, and this was where the physicality really ratcheted up. The previous game hadn’t been lacking for bumps and bruises, but the hitting went to an entirely different level in the second game.
At first, so did the scoring. The line of Jaxon Jacobson, Joby Baumuller, and Caleb Hadland ran amok in the offensive zone, leading Schenn to a 3-0 lead in the first period. Bit by bit, Provorov chipped away at that lead, shortening it to 4-2 (with Marcus Nguyen leading the charge) before Luke Shipley finished off a beautiful goal to make it 5-2.
Yet again, however, Team Provorov refused to quit, and in the back half of the third period they tied the score at five with three goals in quick succession. Yet the scoring still wasn’t done. Hadland and Baumuller were at it again, Hadland picking a corner off the cycle and Baumuller finishing on the backhand on a breakaway to make it 7-5. A strange goal out of a scramble (gloved into Team Provorov’s own net) stretched the lead to 8-5.
There’s little time for the Wheat Kings to rest as they’re right back to work at 9:00 AM at Westoba Place.
