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(Mat Barrett/Melfort Mustangs)
Hard Fought Victory

Mustangs grind out shootout win over Bruins

Dec 10, 2022 | 9:51 AM

The Melfort Mustangs have now gone nine straight games where they’ve earned at least a point.

This after a 3-2 shootout win over the Estevan Bruins on Friday night in Estevan.

And with a couple key cogs out of the lineup, and being short bodies in general, Assistant Coach Dan Meyers said guys needed to step up, and the team found a way to win.

“Good on the younger guys stepping up, and some of the older boys taking the lead, so it was good,” he said.

It was a scoreless first period, but each team did have their chances. Estevan though would outshoot the Mustangs 14-7.

The scoring would finally come in the second after a scramble play found Hayden Tuba who fired one through a crowd to give Melfort the 1-0 lead. Although, just over a minute later, the Bruins would get it back courtesy of Alex Blanchard on a 5-on-3 powerplay. That would set things up for an exciting third period that opened with a goal less than a minute in as a Leith Olafson pass was picked off by Kade Runke in the Mustangs zone and he made no mistake, beating James Venne for the 2-1 lead. Melfort would respond before the halfway point in the third period thanks to the recent University of Nebraska Omaha commit, Riley Ashe’s fifth goal of the season.

The rest of the way, including in overtime both teams had some fantastic chances, but nobody could break free. Although it was Estevan leading the shot clock 35-28 when all was said and done.

In the shootout, it was Dawson Leroux who scored the winner on the fifth shooter of the skills competition.

Meyers said earlier in the year, they had maybe lost some games they shouldn’t have, but now things have changed.

“This one here is a 50/50 and finally we did win one,” Meyers said.

Melfort improves to 14-8-5-1 on the year and they visit the Weyburn Red Wings on Saturday.

matbarrett@melfortmustangs.com

On Twitter: @matbarrett6

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