There's no guarantee that any forward lines used in exhibition games will be together come the regular season. However, new Grande Prairie Storm coach Matt Hughes has likely at least pencilled in the combination of Dylan Thudium, Tyson McCallum and Jordan McTaggart at this time.
The trio combined for nine points on Tuesday night in front of 459 spectators at the Canada Games Arena, as the Storm blanked the Whitecourt Wolverines 4-0. McCallum was in on every goal, scoring once and adding three assists. Thudium tallied twice, with one helper and McTaggart garnered two assists.
Stephen Doanne had the final goal of the game for the home side, which led 1-0 after both the first and second periods, before scoring three times in the third to ice the contest. Storm outshot the Wolverines 32-19 on the night, with Nick Kulmanovsky forced into making two or three key saves to earn his shut out.
Both teams' powerplays showed preseason rust. Whitecourt was 0-for-2, while the Storm never really threatened in any of their four advantages. The win for the Storm atoned a 3-1 loss in Whitecourt on Sunday night.
Storm close out their home exhibition schedule Friday night, when the Bonnyville Pontiacs visit the Canada Games Arena at 7:30. Storm, Pontiacs, Wolverines and Drayton Valley Thunder all then head to Peace River for a four-team preseason tournament on Saturday and Sunday.
-Story by Don Whiteford of www.PeaceCountrySports.com.