(Ben Tompkins/northeastNOW)

By Ben Tompkins

Still perfect

Mustangs need overtime to beat Klippers, now aim for weekend sweep

Oct 14, 2023 | 2:14 PM

Despite what was their most dominant first period of the season, and maybe their entire game all year, the Melfort Mustangs needed overtime to get two points against the Kindersley Klippers on Friday night.

After one period of play, the Mustangs had basically all the puck possession and offensive zone time between the two clubs, as well as 21 of the 25 combined shots in the frame, but were only able to get out to a 1-0 lead.

Klippers’ netminder, Logan Falk, stood on his head throughout the entire regulation, stopping 41 shots, as Melfort took a 2-0 lead into the third, with the majority of the game’s scoring chances, before Kindersley received a couple of hometown bounces to send it to extra time.

“In the first period we came out hard and we were doing our job competing, but in the second or third we kind of laid off and then they kind of capitalized there with lucky bounces but that’s the game, that’s what it’s about, so good thing we finished the deal and now we gotta get ready for Saturday,” said Stangs’ assistant coach, Tye Scherger, postgame.

Technically speaking, Kindersley wasn’t really able to get a puck past Melfort’s backstop, James Venne, as it was actually his own guys who scored on him twice, after deflections out in front of the net.

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Two own goals, along with the fact that Venne only faced 24 shots in nearly 65 minutes, was the perfect opportunity for him to get in his own head, but that didn’t happen.

The Saskatoon goaltender came up big in the extra frame, as the Klippers had momentum on their side, and garnered a wide-open slot chance that was fired off the post by former Mustang, Alex Mack, as well as a failed breakaway opportunity by another former Melfort player in Logan Cox.

“That’s a prime example of a veteran goalie, he lets a couple in and he doesn’t get out of it, he stays focused, he stays dialled in, and that’s a huge thing about being a veteran goalie like himself,” Scherger explained.

Mustang’s forward, Ryan Duguay extended his goal streak to six games and also added an assist, while Rhett Hamilton scored his first two goals of his SJHL career, including the winner in overtime.

Melfort (who is now a perfect 7 and 0) will look for the weekend sweep tonight, as they face the (2-3-1-1) Klippers for the third time already this season, in their only trip to Kindersley on the year.

Faceoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., while the pre-game show begins at 7:15 p.m., as Ben Tompkins has the call yet again on 105 CJVR and CJVR.com.

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter @BenTompkins_8