If there was any question as to how Team Saskatchewan would fare in male hockey at the 2019 Canada Winter Games, the answer was plenty positive through the first two days of competition – and it came at the expense of two traditional Games powerhouses.
Team Sask. opened the tournament with a 4-3 victory overtime victory over host Alberta on Saturday before following up with a hard-fought 4-3 loss to B.C. Sunday afternoon.
The two victories mean Saskatchewan will likely need a win over Manitoba on Monday to reach the quarter-finals..
Against Alberta, Prince Albert Raiders first round draft pick and Davidson product Nolan Allan scored at the 3:17 mark of overtime to give Team Sask the all-important opening win. Allan, who currently suits up for the Midget AAA Saskatoon Blazers, finished the game with two goals and an assist.
Kindersley's Logan Linklater saw to it Allan would have his OT chance when he scored the game-tying goal midway through the third period, with Moose Jaw's own Prairie Hockey Academy standout Kirk Mullen drawing an assist on the marker.
Saskatoon's Karter Prosofsky scored Team Sask's first goal of the tournament at the 15:12 mark of the first period.
Saskatchewan trailed 2-1 through one and 3-2 through two.
Moose Jaw Warriors prospect and Saskatoon product Brett Mirwald stopped 40 shots to earn the win, while Team Sask had only 18 shots total on Alberta.
Against B.C., Regina product and AAA Pat Canadians forward Cole Sillinger scored twice and added an assist as Saskatchwan took a 2-1 lead out of the first period but couldn't make the edge stick. Regina's Kevin Anderson scored Team Sask's other goal, as they were tied 2-2 with B.C. through two periods. Mirwald made 26 saves in the loss.
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Moose Jaw speedskater Marc Andre Doyon might have had a rough start to his Canada Winter Games appearance as he was disqualified in the long track speed skating 1,500 metres on Saturday, but he was able to respond in style with a 12th place overall finish in the 500 metres Sunday.
Doyon put down a time of 39.38 seconds to finish 12th in the first heat before recording a 39.40 in the second heat and finishing 13th. His combined time of 1:18.78 was just over four seconds back of the gold medal time of 1:14.73 skated by Manitoba's Tyson Langelaar.
Doyon was back in action during the team pursuit on Sunday afternoon, joining teammates Brad Heit of Warman, Dade Meinert of Saskatoon and Matthew Scutchings of Saskatoon to finish in fourth place with a time of 4:24.13, seven seconds back of Ontario for bronze. Alberta took the gold in 4:05.41.
There's still plenty of Games left for Doyon, as he skates in the 5,000 metres on Tuesday and 1,000 metres Wednesday.
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Moose Jaw's other Canada Winter Games athletes will be in action during week two in Red Deer.
Rain Eberle and partner Caidence Derenisky will compete in Novice Pairs figure skating beginning Feb. 25 while the team Skylar Ackerman, third Madison Johnson, second Chantel Hoag and lead Samantha McLaren will take the ice in women's curling beginning Feb. 24.
