The Slave Lake Wolves have done a lot of winning on Saturday night and then losing on Sunday afternoon. This past weekend they did the reversse, dropping a 5 – 1 decision to the Sexsmith Vipers Saturday and then turning it around for a 5 – 2 win on Sunday.
The win was just the antidote the team needed to two straight losses to start the season. It’s also a confidence booster to a club that was at loose ends in the goalie and coaching departments right to the last minute.
As it turned out, the coaching combo of Travis Sinclair, Darby Bannister and Jim Zinyk seemed to have things in pretty good control. And between the pipes newcomer Ryan Knapton turned in a good performance in Sunday’s win. Darren Cardinal started in Saturday’s game and looked pretty sharp most of the way.
Sexsmith scored two powerplay goals in the first period on Saturday and pretty much had the Wolves back on their heels. In the second the home town boys came out flying and hitting everything that moved. They took it to the Vipers for most of the period and Donovan Nicholas finally got his second of the season to make it 2 – 1. The Vipers reasserted their control in the third, though, scoring three even strength goals.
On Sunday Darryl Garon scored twice for the Wolves. Veteran defenceman Ryan Sinclair had a good game too, scoring once and assisting on three others. The game sheet was unavailable by press time. Goalie Ryan Knapton had a big hand in the victory.
“I think we were outshot again,” says Zinyk. “The goalie played great.”
The Wolves lost Blair Sinclair Saturday to a broken wrist. His place on defense was taken by Vern Cunningham of High Prairie, who played his first game for the Wolves on Sunday. Zinyk says he’s “a good, steady d-man,” and will allow Sinclair to return to his customary forward spot when he gets back from his injury.
The Wolves hit the road this weekend for games Saturday in Fort St. John against the defending champion Huskies, and Sunday in Dawson Creek, where the Jr. Canucks are ripping everybody to shreds so far this season. The Wolves’ next home game is against Peace River on Wednesday, Oct. 15. That’s two days after the ice in arena #1 is due to be ready. Like Dawson Creek, the Navigators are also undefeated so far this season.

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