(Image Credit: Richard Petersen)
franchise first

Brunen’s historic shutout backs Wolverines fourth straight win

Sep 28, 2026 | 2:28 AM

Luke Brunen made history as he backstopped the Warman Wolverines to their first ever shutout in a 4-0 win over the Battlefords North Stars on Sunday in North Battleford.

The Warman native stopped 41 shots to record the milestone while Riley Rich-Holden paced the attack with two goals and an assist as the Wolverines picked up their fourth straight victory.

“Growing up in Warman, I never had a junior A team come so this is huge,” Brunen said. ”l know that if I had a junior A team, I would have been there and watched so many games and now that I’m part of the team, there’s no place I’d rather be but home.”

Owen Parks scored his third goal of the season 50 seconds into the game for the only goal of the opening period and Rich-Holden along with Trey Markus tallied in the second to make it 3-0 through two frames.

Rich-Holden found the net again to round out the scoring in the third period and Brunen held firm to preserve the second shutout of his SJHL career and first since Oct. 29, 2024, when he played for the Melville Millionaires.

Wolverines head coach Brett Pilkington praised the team’s defensive efforts and Brunen’s performance.

“Sixty minutes, battling like that defensively with the goalie standing back there is pretty awesome to watch. Luke’s a local kid to Warman, he played in the Warman minor hockey system, and for him to be the first one to get a shutout is unbelievable and couldn’t happen to a better guy,” Pilkington said.

Warman sits atop the Nutrien Division and overall standings at 4-1 after the win. The Wolverines are back at home on Friday when they host the Melfort Mustangs with puck drop at 7 p.m. at the Warman Home Centre Communiplex. Listen to every Wolverines game live on SaskNow.com.

View Comments