CARROT RIVER — The Carrot River Outback Thunder are fighting this week to keep their season alive.
The squad downed the Saskatoon Westleys, 5-3, on the road in the opening game of their Prairie Junior Hockey League Survivor Series on Feb. 21. On Sunday night, the Westleys tied the series with a 6-3 victory in Carrot River. The third and final game of the series between the fifth-seeded Outback Thunder and fourth-seeded Westleys is slated for Wednesday, Feb. 26.
Outback Thunder rookie forward Tanner Dutcawich has provided the team with a lot of its offence this postseason. As of Sunday, he was second in the PJHL in playoff points with four through two games.
In the opening game of the series, Dutcawich had two goals and three points. Linemates Kayden Graham and Chase Gallant had three assists and two helpers, respectively.
“I guess we were just getting the bounces and we wanted it more than them,” Graham said of line’s success. “We knew we needed the first game and we went out and fought for it.”
In that opening contest, the Outback Thunder punished the Westleys for taking penalties. Carrot River scored on three of their four powerplay opportunities. Defenceman Luc Marleau had one of the powerplay goals and also added an empty net goal to ice the game for the Outback Thunder.
Colten Adair got rolling for the Westleys in game two. He scored five goals. The Westleys led 5-1 with just over a minute remaining in the second period.
The Outback Thunder fought back. A goal by James Tingley cut the deficit to three, 5-2, before the second intermission. A Dutcawich goal brought Carrot River to within two, 5-3, in the third. They were unable to come any closer and Adair scored his fifth of the night.
The Outback Thunder last week
Game One
Friday, Feb. 21 in Saskatoon
Carrot River 5, Saskatoon Westleys 3
Outback Thunder Scorers: Tanner Dutcawich (2), Luke Marleau (2), Kaden Suski
Westleys Scorers: Linden Schwab, Martial Hodgson, Matthew Conlon
Goalies: Steven Soyko, Carrot River, 32 saves on 35 shots; Jake Davidson, Saskatoon, 31 on 35
Notes: The Outback Thunder lit the lamp on three of their four powerplay chances. Carrot River led 3-1 after the first period. With two goals, the Westleys tied things up in the second period at 2-2. The Outback Thunder took the lead on a Dutcawich goal in the third. Marleau added an empty net goal.
Game Two
Sunday, Feb. 23 in Carrot River
Saskatoon Westleys 6, Carrot River 3
Outback Thunder Scorers: James Tingley, Tanner Dutcawich, Kaden Suski
Westleys Scorers: Colten Adair (5), Carter Rain
Goalies: Steven Soyko, Carrot River, 28 saves on 33 shots; Chance Griffith, Carrot River, 14 on 15; Jake Davidson, Saskatoon, 17 on 20
Notes: The Westleys tied the best-of-three series at 1-1. The Westleys led 1-0 and 5-2 at the intermissions.
