STAY CONNECTED: Have the stories that matter most delivered every night to your email inbox. Subscribe to our daily local news wrap.
Photo Credit: Shane Clausing
By Shane Clausing
Storm

Third period Whitecourt rally sinks Storm Sunday

Mar 22, 2021 | 12:07 PM

The Whitecourt Wolverines rallied in the third period, scoring four times in the final frame to walk away with a 4-2 victory over the Grande Prairie Storm on Sunday night at Revolution Place.

For the first 40 minutes, the Storm owned possession of the game.

Ethan Strang would open the scoring for the club 15:37 into the first period, where he would roof a backhand shot short side on Wolverines goaltender Cooper Hatfield to give the club a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

After a second period that saw no scoring, the Wolverines would wake up in the third period.

Just 52 seconds in, Thomas Vela would net his first AJHL goal to tie the game at one.

At 7:14 of the third period, former Storm forward Bryce Ospechuk would score to give the Wolverines a 2-1 lead.

Shortly after Whitecourt took the lead, the Storm ran into some penalty trouble.

At the 7:32 mark of the third period, Max Giangualano would receive a double minor for tripping, sending the Wolverines to the powerplay.

On the four-minute penalty kill, Cameron Vassos would head off for cross-checking and the Wolverines would have a five on three for at least a minute.

The five on three built momentum and Tyler Mahan would score on the powerplay to put the Wolverines up 3-1.

Ethan Strang would add his second goal of the game on a powerplay late in the third period, but time would prove to be the enemy of the Storm.

Mahan netted his second of the game on an empty net to give the Wolverines the 4-2 win.

The Storm’s record drops to 4-3-1 on the season.

The club will now hit the road on March 26 to face the Drayton Valley Thunder, followed by a rematch against Whitecourt on March 27.

by Shane Clausing