The Virden Oil Capitals picked up 2 points at the MJHL Showcase taking the win over OCN, but losing to Portage. Against the Blizzard the Oil Capitals opened the scoring late in the first. Scoring 2 quick goals leaving the first period score at 2-0 for Virden. OCN opened the scoring in the second period but it didn’t take long for Virden to get back their 2 goal lead, scoring just 30 seconds later. The Blizzard cut Virden’s lead before the end of the period scoring on the power play making the score just 3-2 for the Oil Capitals. Virden scored another goal in the third to solidify their win with the final score being 4-2 for the Virden Oil Capitals.
The first period kicked off at 14:38 when Virden’s Bray Rookes scored his first goal of regular season. This gave the Oil Capitals the 1-0 lead. Tanner Andrew scored his fourth just under 2 minutes later at 16:20, giving Virden the 2-0 lead at the end of the second period.
The second period saw the Blizzard’s Sequoia Swan score his second at 3:20, cutting Virden’s lead in half with the score being 2-1. Virden’s Hunter Cloutier wasted no time getting that goal back, scoring his fifth just 30 seconds later to give Virden back their 2 goal lead with the score at 3-1. OCN took advantage of a power play, scoring just 11 seconds in. Darren Gisti scored his first at 11:18, leaving the score at the end of the second period at 3-2.
The third period was quiet with only one goal scored by Josh Belcher at 10:51 to secure the win, with a final score of 4-2.
Virden’s Riley Wallace picked up the win stopping 16 of 18 shots, with a save percentage of 88.9%. OCN’s Zack Cloutier picked up the loss stopping 22 of 26 shots, with a save percentage 84.6%.
Head coach Tyson Ramsey had these comments after the Monday night game, “We are certainly happy to have come away with 2 points but there were parts of our game that need to be better to compete against Portage tomorrow. We were sluggish in the first 2 periods and weren’t able to generate much. I thought we were slow to support each other and didn’t play with any team speed. Then in the third I thought we found our legs and were able to create some offence. We need to play the game fast to be successful and tonight we weren’t consistent in that area. We will be better tomorrow and we are excited face the Terriers for the first time in the regular season.”
Against the Portage Terriers the Oil Capitals fell behind early, but tied the game 3 minutes later. The Terriers took back momentum, scoring again in the first period, leaving the first period score at 2-1. The second period started with an early goal from Portage, and was quiet the rest of the period, leaving the second period score at 3-1. The third period Portage took over, scoring 2 goals later in the third leaving the final score at 5-1.
The first period started early with Portage’s Cody Thompson scoring his first at 0:32 into the first. This put the Terriers up 1-0. Virden’s Kolten Kanaski scored his fifth at 3:27 to tie the game at 1-1. Portage took back momentum, with Mack Belinski scoring his fourth. That goal at 12:50 was the final of the period, leaving the first period with a score of 2-1.
The second period had Portage scoring early with Reece Henry scoring his first at 3:10 on the power play, putting the Terriers up 3-1 at the end of the second period.
The third period had two late goals by the Terriers. Owen Murray scored his second at 13:09 to put the Terriers up 4-1. Colby Wolter of the Portage Terriers scored his second at 15:28 making the final score of the game 5-1 for the Terriers.
Portage’s Nathan Moore picked up the win stopping 26 of 27 shots for a save percentage 96.3%. Virden’s Dalton Dosch picked up the loss stopping 27 or 32 for a save percentage 84.4%.