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By Shaun Penner
Grande Prairie Storm

Late goal sinks Storm in loss to Whitecourt

Mar 15, 2021 | 6:22 AM

Kaleb Ergang played spoiler Sunday afternoon, as the Whitecourt forward potted the game winner with just over a minute left in regulation to lift the Wolverines over the Grande Prairie Storm 4-3 in the finale of the return-to-play weekend for both clubs.

The loss saddles the Storm with a record of 1-1 on the weekend, following a win in Drayton Valley Saturday over the Thunder.

The Storm took the lead early on against their Highway 43 rivals, with Brett Meerman scoring his second goal in as many games just over a minute in.

Former Storm forward Bryce Osepchuk would answer back quickly for the Wolverines on the power play, tying it up at one early.

The Storm’s power play continued to operate effectively, as Dan McIntyre would pot the team’s fourth power play goal of the weekend midway through the opening frame, giving the Storm a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes.

After Tyler Mahan tied it up at two, Cooper Connell would add another power play marker for the Storm to make it 3-2.

The Storm would finish the weekend’s pair of games 5-for-9 on the power play.

However, Ethan Leyer would tie the game soon after for Whitecourt midway through the second, giving way for the Ergang winner with just 1:02 left in the third to give the Wolverines the win.

Storm goaltender Devin Chapman, who was picked up from the Canmore Eagles recently after the Eagles elected not to return to the AJHL this season, stopped 28 of 32 shots in his Storm debut.

The Storm will get their shot at redemption against the Wolverines, as both Drayton Valley and Whitecourt will travel to Revolution Place next weekend.

Those games on Saturday and Sunday evening will be played with no fans in attendance, but will be available to watch on both HockeyTV and TELUS Optik TV.

by Shaun Penner