(Mat Barrett/Melfort Mustangs)

By Mat Barrett

Road Blues

Mustangs return from Western swing without points after loss to Kindersley

Feb 6, 2023 | 11:05 AM

The Melfort Mustangs have returned home without a point on their western Saskatchewan road swing after a 5-2 loss to the Kindersley Klippers on Sunday.

It was their second straight loss after falling to Battlefords 6-4 the night before.

Clarke Huxley opened the scoring for Melfort about 12 minutes into the game, but the Mustangs didn’t seem to have their normal jump or energy throughout the contest.

Kayden Ostrom tied the game before the first period ended and then he also gave Kindersley the lead early in the second to open the floodgates for Kindersley who’d get another goal just moments after from Tylin Hilbig. All of a sudden, it was 3-1 Kindersley just three minutes into the second.

Cash Arntsen scored for Kindersley halfway through the second to make it 4-1, and after that, the Mustangs showed a bit more pushback, but couldn’t seem to beat goalie Logan Falk.

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Logan Linklater scored halfway through the third for Kindersley and made the hole even deeper for Melfort. The team even outshot Kindersley 14-4 in the third, but only managed a Ty Thornton goal at the 17:35 mark of the period.

It’s the Mustangs second loss of the season to the SJHL’s last-place club, and Assistant Coach Dan Meyers said the Klippers are no slouches in the league.

“These guys, they do work hard, their whole team,” he said. “They may not be the most skilled, but they do put the work in and they never quit.”

As for the Mustangs, Meyers said they don’t want to make excuses, but for 10 guys in the lineup this weekend, it was their fourth game in six days after the SJHL/MJHL Showcase.

“Ten of the boys had a busy week, lots of bus rides, lots of games over the week,” he said. “It is what it is, 10 other guys could have stepped up too.”

Melfort is now 23-14-5-2 on the year, still sitting fifth in the league. They’ll be back in action on Friday night when they visit Yorkton.

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matbarrett@melfortmustangs.com

On Twitter: @matbarrett6