It may be too late to make a difference in the playoff race, but for the first time this season, the Parkland Rangers have won two games in a row.
The two wins came at the expense of the Kenora Thistles and allowed the Rangers to leapfrog the Ontario-based team into 10th place in the standings.
Havryil Simchuk had three goals and Bo Eisner chipped in with a goal and two assists, while Kyler Swanton made 35 saves in a 6-1 Parkland victory on Saturday in Dauphin.
On Sunday in Dauphin, Madden Murray led the way with a goal and two assists, Luke Myhre had three helpers and Swanton was solid once again with 38 saves in a 6-3 triumph.
Rangers head coach Tyler Carefoot said it was a sweet weekend for the team.
“I’m just so happy for the fellas to be able to just feel good about themselves, really,” he said.
Carefoot was not pleased with the team’s play in the first period of Saturday’s game, though.
“I liked our energy, I just didn’t like our puck management. And we kind of tidied that up and then we didn’t really look back,” he said. “Simchuk, although he doesn’t understand us, he kind of took it upon himself (Saturday) night and he was a difference.”
Murray, Carefoot said, stepped up on Sunday to lead the team.
“It’s pleasing. Two in a row, it feels good, for sure,” he added.
For Dauphin’s Swanton, the wins were just his second and third of the season. Although he hasn’t had much success between the pipes this year, he continues to work hard on his game.
“Good for Swanny. Kyler, I thought, deserved the starts back-to-back and played well. I feel great for him. He’s probably the first guy to admit that his season has been up and down, but to put two good quality games like that feels good,” Carefoot said.
Defenceman Ryan Gower of McCreary had a great weekend, picking up an assist on Saturday and scoring a shorthanded goal on Sunday, while skating well in both contests.
“He’s always just very consistent and just a work horse. We can’t say enough about him,” Carefoot said.
The Rangers hope to keep the momentum from these two wins going as they head into a tilt Tuesday night in Dauphin against the Yellowhead Chiefs, who enter the week in sixth place with 46 points, one point back of the Winnipeg Thrashers and four ahead of the Eastman Selects.
On the weekend, Parkland faces the Interlake Lightning, who sit in the eighth and final playoff spot with 37 points as the week begins. They are just one point ahead of the Southwest Cougars.
“We’ll have lots to be fired up about, because if we can prevent them from getting points, that’s a feel-good story. These next few games will be an opportunity to put some wins together and everybody can feel good about themselves,” he said. “But it’s not going to be easy, because we’re facing teams that are battling for playoff seeding. If we keep bringing the work ethic and just execute, I think we’re going to be in a good spot.”
