Dauphin's Bradyn Smelski scored two beautiful goals, Eamonn Miller scored the game-winner and the Dauphin Kings ended up steamrolling over the Neepawa Natives tonight, 5-2 on "Parent Night" at Credit Union Place.
After a scoreless opening 20 minutes, rookie Carter Sawchuk brought the puck into Neepawa's zone and fired a perfect shot past Kolby Thornton to put Dauphin up 1-0. Just under two minutes later at the 3:37 mark, Benoit Mowbray tied the game up.
At the 15:25 mark, Smelski took a perfect drop pass from Brendan Arnold and Bradyn did the rest as he fired a wrister past Thornton to record his first goal of 2019 in his debut of the new year. Dauphin led the contest after 40 minutes, 2-1.
Ste. Rose's Brad Marshall tied up the game just 35 seconds into the third. From there, Dauphin heated up. Off a perfect pass from Bryon Fobair to the right post, Miller potted the puck in the back of the net in what turned out to be the game-winner.
The Kings continued to bring the heat as Grady Hobbs showed off his sharpshooting skills with a rush that ended up in the back of Neepawa's net. That set the stage for the Dauphin boy.
Jaxon Heeney batted down the puck in the neutral zone, brought the puck into Neepawa's zone where he dropped the puck off to Smelski. From there, Bradyn made a beautiful move to get around the Neepawa defender and he went to the backhand and went bar down to give Dauphin their fifth goal of the game and it was Bradyn's second.
"That felt amazing. I got around the guy and I was looking for an open place, it was kind of lucky on my part but it went in," said Smelski.
It was Bradyn's first game of 2019. He was a healthy scratch for the first five games and he definitely made a case to stay in the lineup going forward.
"Having this performance I think showed Doug and Mitch how much I care," said Smelski. "I haven't been playing much but I just need to stay positive. It's all about the team in the end and I'll do whatever I can to help the guys."
Dauphin returns to Credit Union Place on Wednesday against OCN.
