The Weyburn Red Wings infused some youth into their alumni roster for this year's Challenge Cup against the Estevan Bruins and it paid off.
The Wings' alumni rode timely scoring and excellent goaltending from Tanner Erickson to claim their first victory in the three-year history of the event, 9-5, Sunday at Spectra Place.
Eric Calibaba led Weyburn with four goals and Brendon Vertefeuille added a pair.
"They've lost two in a row and they recruited hard and got some young guys. Even us having guys like (Lucas) Stubel and (Ben) Findlay involved picks the pace up," said Karry Biette, who scored twice for the Bruins.
Brant Kersey also had a pair for Estevan, with Blaine Chrest adding a single.
Biette opened the scoring early in the first of two 30-minute run-time periods, lifting a backhander under the crossbar on a breakaway.
"It's always good if you can score early. It takes everything out of it and away you go, you can have some fun and play with it. It was good off the bat," said Biette.
"I think everybody was teasing me because I was taking Danny McKersie's spot on the cherry pick so he couldn't get it."
Weyburn would take it from there, scoring three straight goals to take a lead they would not give up.
Vertefeuille scored the first and Calibaba was in on the other two, scoring one and setting up another.
Kersey got the Bruins within one with his first of the game, but Weyburn would regain the two-goal cushion with less than 30 seconds to go in the period, taking a 4-2 lead to the intermission.
After the Wings' fifth goal, Biette added his second, backhanding a rebound past Erickson. Weyburn's Jason Vermeulen soon made it 6-3 off a 2-on-1, beating Bruins goalie Nick Sereggela on a stick side goal.
Calibaba then added his third and fourth goals, first on a wrister off a 2-on-1, then on a tap-in, to give Weyburn an 8-3 lead.
Kersey made it 8-4 on a quick, high wrister from close range, and Chrest made it a three-goal game with a chip shot from the right side.
Weyburn would add another goal to make it a 9-5 final.
Chrest said there were some differences between Sunday's game and the past two.
"It's always a privilege to come out and play with these guys. It's nice to play in this rink compared to the old Civic. This one was a little quicker of a pace than the last two. Weyburn obviously had more younger guys than in the past."
Chrest said it gets tough to retain the skill for himself and the other older players on the team, but he enjoys the alumni games.
"There's quite a bit lost there. The hands are the first to go. It seems it gets harder every year. Age is a wonderful thing, but it's nice to try to play in this and try to keep up.
"Everybody steps up and plays a little harder when they play in this. Most of us don't play anything close to this kind of speed. Everybody steps their game up a bit. Nobody wants to lose to Weyburn, that's for sure."
Biette said several players were fun to watch.
"Erickson looked good in their goal. Blaine Chrest is one of those players that you love to watch play, and Dan McKersie, and (Kevin) Pastachak. And of course Nick in net, for being his age, he still stands in there strong."
Following the alumni game, the association inducted five new members into the Bruins Builder Hall of Fame.
The new members are Gord Tenold, a long-time team volunteer who ran the scoreboard and penalty box; Dave Matchett, a team bookkeeper for more than 30 years; Gary McKechney, the longest-serving coach in team history; the late Dr. Yosri Wahba, the team's doctor for 26 years; and Rod Fagerheim, a former player and coach who helped create the alumni association.
