The Eastman Selects had a busy week which saw them play 3 games in five days, all of them at the SunGro Center in Beausejour. With their record an unbelievable 19-0-0-0-1 coming into the week, every team in the league brings their A game to the rink in hopes of knocking off the Selects and being the first team to give them a regulation loss.



Eastman 7 Thistles 3
The first game was on Wednesday, November 25th, against the visiting Kenora Thistles. The Thistles were coming off a tuff 1-0 win against the Central Plains Capitals and they were eager to make it 2 in a row.

And they came out flying in the first period. The Selects did not.

The home team came out flat, with no jump in their legs, and the visitors took advantage of it. Kenora built up a 3-1 lead by the end of the first period, stunning the unusually quiet Wednesday night crowd at the SunGro Centre. It was the first time this season that the Selects found themselves behind in a game on home ice. The lone bright spot in the period was a goal by Brad Goethals, his 25th of the season, assisted by Dane Hirst and Ryan Piwniuk.

The second period was a bit better for the Home team. Their play was getting stronger and they were picking up some momentum heading into the third. The Selects scored the only goal of the period, a beautiful 3 way passing play that saw Vaughn Dupre chip in his 6th of the year from linemates Kolten Kanaski and Will Cruise. But the play was all Selects throughout the period, with the home team out shooting the visitors 16-5 in the frame.

The third period was one that the visitors would like to forget, as the Selects dominated at every turn. 5 straight goals by the home team sent the Thistles back to Kenora wondering what the heck had just happened. After Vaughn Dupre potted his second of the night to tie the game, the flood gates opened up and the onslaught began. Will Middleton, Kolten Kanaski, Will Cruise, and Dane Hirst all picked up goals in the period. Hirst’s goal was his first of the season and his smile could be seen from the front lobby when his blast from the point found its way into the Kenora net. Picking up assists in the period were Braeden Binda (2), Mike Berard (2), with singles going to Goethals, Dupre, Drew Draward, and Owen Blocker.



Selects 5 Chiefs 1
Saturday night saw the Selects host the third place Yellowhead Chiefs, who gave the Selects all they could handle a few weeks back in Shoal Lake when the Selects scored with 7 seconds remaining in the game to squeak out a 2-1 win.

For the second straight game, the Selects found themselves down early when a Yellowhead forward picked up a loose puck in front of the net and snapped it by Selects goaltender, Brenden Benoit, for a 1-0 lead on the home team. The game stayed that way until there was 7 seconds remaining in the first period. The faceoff was deep in the Yellowhead zone. Rookie Center Owen Blocker went in to take the draw and surprised the entire rink when he snapped in his 6th of the season directly off the puck drop. It was a rare play, seldom seen at this level of hockey, but the perfectly timed shot tied the game up before the first period came to an end.

When the Selects came out in the 2nd period, they had all the energy in the building. 4 straight goals by the home team took all the wind out of the visitors sails, and allowed the Selects to build a 5-1 lead through 2 periods. Scoring for the Selects was Montana Onyebuchi, Matt Osadick, Vaughn Dupre, and Mike Berard. Picking up helpers was Will Middleton, Jack Lenchyshyn, Garrett Armistead, Kayle Tosh, Braeden Binda and Dupre.

There was no scoring in the third period, but the penalty box got quite a workout, as both teams combined for 14 penalties in the frame. Yellowhead showed their frustration with their chippy play, but the Selects wouldn’t be intimidated in their own barn, and stood up for themselves and eachother on the ice.

The game ended 5-1 for the Selects and the Chiefs boarded their bus a disappointed bunch to say the least.



Selects 5 Wheat Kings 4
Sunday Afternoon saw the surging Brandon Wheat Kings visiting the SunGro Centre for a rematch of last Sunday’s game at the Sportsplex in Brandon. That game saw the Selects beat Brandon 2-1 in a shoot-out, so this meeting looked to be a barn burner.

And it was.

Eastman opened the scoring early when a perfectly placed wrist shot by defenseman “Monty” Onyebuchi beat Brandon’s Josh Petersen high glove side with just 32 seconds gone in the period. Brad Goethals picked up the only assist on the quick goal. But before the period would come to an end, it would be Brandon that would be heading into the first intermission with the lead as they scored 2 power play goals on their 5 opportunities with the PP. ( I find it funny that as the Selects go farther into the season with the goose egg in the loss column, the amount of PP opportunities against us increases drastically. Coincidence?? Probably not.) Nonetheless, at the end of the first period, it was 2-1 Brandon.

Eastman weathered the storm in the second period and managed to keep the game at 2-1 until the last minute of the frame. Then, with the Selects facing yet another short-handed situation, Will Middleton knocked down a Brandon D-D pass, and burst down on a two-on-one with linemate, Mike Berard. Using Berard as a decoy, Middleton faked a pass then fired the puck past Petersen, beating him 5-hole for his 11th of the season. The goal tied the game at 2 heading into the second intermission.

The third period began with the Wheat Kings on yet another power play. This lead to an early PP goal for the visitors and a 3-2 lead in the game. Then, on a PP of their own, the Selects tied the game at the 3:54 mark of the period. Rookie D-man Jack Lenchyshyn picked up his first goal of the season when his point shot beat Petersen through traffic in front of the Brandon net. Assists were drawn by Owen Blocker and Vaughn Dupre.

Eight minutes later, Kolten Kanaski netted his 14th of the season when he converted a nice drop pass from Lenchyshyn in the slot, giving the Selects their first lead of the night.

Unfortunately the lead didn’t last long, as the Wheaties tied it up less than 3 minutes later when a quick shot surprised Selects netminder Brendan Benoit up high. The goal made it 4-4 with 5:57 remaining in the game.

With the game deadlocked at 4, and time running down, it looked as though the game was going to go into overtime. However, with around 1:30 to play, coach Bugyik put together a line of Kolten Kanaski, Will Middleton, and Vaughn Dupre,( who has had a hot stick lately with 6 points in his last 3 games.) Kanaski and Middleton managed to work the puck deep into the Wheat Kings’ end, ultimately creating a mad scramble in front of the Brandon netminder. The puck found its way onto Dupre’s stick, and he made no mistake, potting the game winner with 1:10 left on the clock. Kanaski and Middleton both collected assists on the play. And that was it !!!

The Final Score was 5-4 Selects, with the total shots on goal 46-14 in favor of the home team.

The Selects have a few days off before facing the second place Winnipeg Wild (17-2-0-0-1) at the SunGro Centre in Beausejour on Friday December 4th. Puck drop is 8:00 PM.

Come out and support your hometown Eastman Selects, and watch some very entertaining hockey!!!