(Ben Tompkins/northeastNOW)

By Ben Tompkins

Win streak snapped

Mustangs fall in first game of 2024

Jan 6, 2024 | 1:38 PM

The Melfort Mustangs didn’t exactly start off 2024 the way they had intended, as they fell in their first game of the new year.

Melfort travelled to La Ronge on Friday night to face off against the Ice Wolves for their fourth of six meetings.

Ultimately, the Mustangs did walk away with a point, as they suffered a 6-5 defeat in overtime.

“The first game after the break is always tough, obviously we weren’t sharp, we weren’t sharp the whole game, just plays like smart IQ and stuff like that, we’d get lost in the D zone, wouldn’t pick up guys and then our neutral zone forecheck struggled as well,” said assistant coach, Tye Scherger.

“I thought in the third we actually had a good push, we were down and we went in the dressing room and said character check here and the boys came out and they gave it their all out there and they worked hard and lucky that we got it back to overtime.”

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For the Stangs, the contest was one in which they never led, ultimately due to their lacklustre starts in each period, as they gave up a goal in the first four minutes or less, every single frame, including just 20 seconds into overtime.

That will have to be something they work on specifically when they host Canada’s best in the Flin Flon Bombers on Saturday.

“Communication and picking guys up in the D zone will be important, we can’t leave guys hanging in the slot or backdoor and stuff like that, so we’ll get back and talk about it, and then we’ll be ready for Flin Flon,” Scherger added.

“It’s good to get this game out of the way and tomorrow’s gonna be a new day. Top team, it’ll be a good game and we’ll put up a good fight.”

The loss snapped the Blue and Green’s eight-game win streak, while also ending their previous perfect 3 and 0 record against La Ronge.

Meanwhile, Saturday night’s game against the Bombers will mark the first time that Flin Flon will visit the Northern Lights Palace this season.

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

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