Mustangs split weekend set

Mustangs outgun Millionaires

There was no shortage of offense in the Melfort Mustangs’ 7-5 win over the Melville Millionaires in Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League action from Melville on Jan. 19.

The seven goal outburst marks the third time this season the Mustangs have scored at least seven times, as they knocked off Flin Flon 7-3 on Nov. 26, and the Millionaires 8-1 on Oct. 11.

Carson Albrecht got the party started for the Mustangs scoring his 15th goal of the season just 44 seconds into the game, and added his second of the night nearly 11 minutes later to give the Mustangs an early 2-0 lead.

Before the end of the period the Millionaires got on the board as Clayton Eisler beat Hunter Arps with his 13th of the year to send the game into the first intermission with the Mustangs leading 2-1.

Unfortunately for the visitors their lead did not last long in the second period as the Millionaires scored twice in the first 4:36 to take their first lead of the game.

The Mustangs then responded as Justin Ball and Reed Gunville scored eight seconds apart to give the Mustangs a 4-3 lead.

Before the end of the period the Millionaires pulled back into a tie with the Mustangs as Eisler scored his second of the night, this time on the power play, sending the game into the third period knotted up at four.

The visitors took control in the third period and never looked back as they outshot the Millionaires 16-5 in the period and got goals from Loch Morrison, Tyson Meyers and Justin Ball, into an empty net.

Eisler completed the hat trick with a late goal, which cut the Mustangs’ lead to one at the time, setting up Ball’s empty netter.

Evan Plotnik picked up the win in the Mustangs goal turning aside 11 of the 13 shots he faced, after coming on in relief of starter Hunter Arps who was yanked after allowing three goals on ten shots.

The Mustangs outshot the Millionaires 41-23.

Mustangs see win streak snapped at eight

Mistakes can be costly.

And the Melfort Mustangs learned that the hard way as a late giveaway resulted in the Melfort Mustangs falling 3-2 to the Humboldt Broncos in Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League action from Melfort on Jan. 20.

With the game tied at two, the Mustangs committed a late turnover at the blueline.

The puck eventually found its way onto the stick of Logan Schatz and he beat Evan Plotnik with just two seconds to play resulting in the loss, which snapped the Mustangs’ eight game winning streak.

The Mustangs came out of the gate flat and were victimized as Nick Shumlanski and former Mustang Jaxon Joseph both found the back of the net as the Mustangs trailed 2-0 just 12:52 into the opening period.

Loch Morrison would get the Mustangs back into the game with his 16th goal of the year, sending the game into the first intermission with the Mustangs trailing 2-1.

After the second period solved nothing the two teams went into the third period with the Mustangs still trailing 2-1.

As he seems to do everytime he plays his former team, Andrew Thompson pulled the Mustangs back into a tie with his 14th goal of the season, and fourth goal in four games against his former club.

Just when it seemed the game was headed for overtime Schatz beat Plotnik for the winner.

The power play was a struggle for both teams as the Mustangs managed just one goal on seven tries, while the Mustangs held the Broncos to no goals on five opportunities.

Plotnik was charged with the loss in the Mustangs goal giving up three goals on 24 shots as the Mustangs outshot the Broncos 38-27.