Judging by the records above, you'd almost think this one would be "no contest."But as of right now, the Wolverines are the team playing better hockey, in the last week and the last month. A few game notes ahead of tonight's broadcast...
- Swan Valley was a third period comeback away from going pointless on a 3 game swing, but exploded for four third period goals in a 5-2 win in Winnipeg South on Thursday. They went on to lose 4-3 in Portage Saturday and 4-2 in Winkler Sunday afternoon. That was the first time the Stampeders lost back to back games in regulation time in just over three months (Oct 25/30).
- Wayway went 1-and-10 in December, but turned the tables in January going 8-and-5. After not winning back to back games all season until the new year, they did it 3 times in January, and finished the month going 6-and-2 in their last 8 games, most recently a 2-0 win in OCN on Saturday. Brett Gagnon stopped all 29 shots he faced, joining fellow Wolverines' goalie Chris Jackson in the shutout club for the month of January.
- Wayway is 12-11-0-1 on home ice, and 5-and-23 on the road. Two of those 5 road wins came over the weekend. Away from home, Swan Valley is 13-11-2.
- Swan Valley's Carter Selinger leads the Stampeders with 9 points (all assists) in 6 games against Wayway. Darcy Riddell has 5g-3a-8p.
- Wayway's Ryan Regel has 1g-5a-6p in five games played against Swan.
- Shelby Gray has been Swan's top scorer over their last 10 games with 7g-8a-15p. Myles Stevens has 13p, as does Ryan Marshall, and Chris Reimer has 12.
- Niko Grose of the Wolverines tops even Gray's totals in his last 10 matches, with 7g-10a-17p. The defense pairing of Stephane Robidoux (2g-10a-12p) and Steven Duda (9a) have also been on fire offensively in their last 10.
- Special Teams could play a factor tonight. Swan Valley's PP is tops in the MJHL at 25.4%. The Wolverines' PK has risen of late, now up to 8th 79%. Their PP however is still in the basement at 15%, while Swan's PK ranks 6th at 79.6%. Wayway is 1-for-25 on the powerplay against Swan Valley this season, good for just 4% in the season series. That powerplay goal came off the stick of Preston McLeod in the first period of a 3-1 Wolverines win, October 14th in Swan Valley. Since then, they're 0 for their last 18.
- In the standings, the Stampeders sit 5 points up on Portage for second spot in the Sherwood Division. Wayway's 17 points out of a cross-over spot with 10 games left. A loss tonight would almost mathematically eliminate them from playoff contention.
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