Mustangs shoot the lights out, able to tie series with Bruins

Mar 8, 2020 | 9:16 AM

For a while yesterday things felt eerily similar to Friday’s game in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League quarter-final series between the Melfort Mustangs and Estevan Bruins.

Estevan scored first in the contest, but Melfort was outshooting the Bruins heavily, but without reward. However, the Mustangs were able to scratch and claw their way to a 4-1 win and tie the best-of-seven series 1-1.

“I think the biggest difference tonight was the guys were a little bit heavier, they got to the net, we were getting out chances, and we were getting some screens,” said Mustangs Assistant Coach Trevor Logan. “And we finally got something to go.”

As they did in game one, Melfort fired 18 shots towards Keenan Rancier in the first period of play, but had no goals to show for it. Estevan had a goal on only five shots. It was a powerplay marker as Eddie Gallagher tapped in a back door feed from Jayden Davis to open the scoring late in the first.

Melfort continued to fire on all cylinders in the second period as they got a powerplay goal of their own. Tian Rask circled into the high slot and fired a deadly wrist shot past Rancier to tie the game. The shot clock wasn’t as tilted to Melfort in the period as they only had a 9-5 advantage in the frame.

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In the final frame, the Mustangs kept their foot on the gas pedal and did not let up on the Bruins, who were playing with a bit of desperation. Melfort was able to get their first lead of the series as Colton Schell cut to the net with the puck and while he didn’t score, Christian Albertson jumped on the puck and poked it home for a 2-1 Melfort lead. The Mustangs continued to press and they were able to fire a couple of pucks into an empty Estevan net in the final minute as Gabe Odowichuk and Kenzie Arnold got on the scoresheet.

Melfort ended up with 44 shots in the game, 40 of which were stopped by Rancier. On the other side, Shawn Parkinson stopped 14 of 15 for the Mustangs.

Logan said this was a response they needed.

“Sometimes it helps out when you get pushed into a corner and you have to fight your way out of it, and everybody’s got to man up and fight,” he said. “And I feel like we did that tonight, the boys, to a man, everybody was going tonight.”

Game three of the best-of-seven goes on Tuesday, March 10 in Estevan.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twittter: @matbarrett6

by Mat Barrett

Mustangs shoot the lights out, able to tie series with Bruins

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