~ Submitted by Randy Johns, La Ronge Ice Wolves
The SJHL special game commemorating Canada’s Day of Truth and Reconciliation started with a stirring drum song by Stanley Mission drummers and Oh Canada sung in Cree by Delores Sand, Ice Wolves’ Forward Aaron Greyeyes grandmother. It ended with a third period onslaught of La Ronge scoring and an 8 – 3 victory for the Ice Wolves.
Nolan Doell opened the scoring 3:57 into the first period assisted by Holden Knights. The dynamic duo would hook up again when Doell set up Knights for his first of the season. Battleford would keep it close when Kevin-Thomas Walters scored cutting into the Ice Wolves lead 2-1 to end the first.
The second started out more defensive, with fewer shots but at 5:14 the Ice Wolves Ryley Morgan extended the lead to 3-1. The Northstars scored a pair of goals to tie the game with late goals from Ryland McNinch and Steven Kesslering.
The third period was all Ice Wolves, starting with goals from Andrew Blocker, Bryan Gilman, and Gavin Mattey in a 45 second span starting at 2:27. Mattey added his second of the game at 4:56 and Brandon Della Paolera rounded out the scoring at 16:21.
In all La Ronge had 8 goals and 11 assists for 19-point night. Three Ice Wolves had a multiple point night with Gavin Mattey notching 2 G and 2 A, Nolan Doell with 1 G, 3 A, and Holden Knights with 1 G 2 A. The Ice Wolves defence benefitted from the return of Tristan Lambert and addition of Cole Chauvette. La Ronge goalie Dawson Smith got his first SJHL win.
A sub-plot of the evening was the first regular season meeting of the Doell brothers, Nolan for the Wolves and Holden for the North Stars. The brothers did not disappoint with Holden making his presence known and notching an assist while Nolan got 4 points to put himself in a tie for the league lead in points with 7 overall through 3 games.
La Ronge will host Flin Flon for the first of a home and home on Friday, October 1.