The Melfort Mustangs avoided a big hole.
The Mustangs, fresh off a 7-2 drubbing at the hands of the Humboldt Broncos in Game 1, responded with a 6-3 Game 2 win, avoiding heading back to Humboldt trailing two games to none in their Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League quarter-final series, also known as the Bourgault Cup.
Despite the score, the result was far from easy for the Mustangs, who had to kill off a pair of early third period Broncos power plays to stay in front 3-2.
Despite those kills, it was another tough night for the Mustangs penalty killers as they gave up three goals on eight opportunities after allowing four on eight the night before.
Unlike the night prior, the Mustangs power play helped bail their penalty kill out as a pair of third period markers proved massive as they scored on back to back chances turning a 3-2 lead into a 5-2 lead.
The Mustangs finished the evening 2-for-9 with the man advantage.
After Tristen Elder bruned his former team with a pair of Mustangs goals the night prior, it was Rock Ruschkowski’s turn to burn his former team, scoring twice to lead the Mustangs.
Drew Warkentine, Justin Ball and Carson Albrecht each finished with a goal and an assist, and Kayle Tosh chipped in with two assists.
Zach Anderson, rounded out the scoring for the Mustangs with an empty netter.
One night after combining for ten points, the line of Logan Schatz, Nick Shumlanski and former Mustang Jaxon Joseph was dangerous once again, as Joseph scored twice, and Schatz and Shumlanski each recorded two assists.
Brayden Camrud added the other Broncos goal, his second in two games.
After scoring first in game one, the Mustangs turned the trick again in Game 2 as Ruschkowski scored his first of two first period markers to give the Mustangs an early lead.
This time, the Mustangs made sure not to allow the Broncos to climb back in it early as Ruschkowski scored his second of the period to put the Mustangs in front 2-0 after one.
Camrud got the Broncos back to within one just 3:45 into period two, scoring his second in as many games on the power play.
The Mustangs quickly extended their lead back to two as Warkentine snuck in behind the Broncos defense and beat starter Jacob Wassermann, giving the Mustangs a 3-1 lead just 59 seconds after the Broncos cut the deficit to one.
In a similar play to Warkentine’s goal, Joseph broke in behind the Mustangs defense, and beat Evan Plotnik to cut the Mustangs’ lead back to one after two periods.
Trailing by one in the third, the Broncos had a pair of early power plays to pull themselves into a tie with the Mustangs but could not find the back of the net.
Those missed opportunities would come back to bite the Broncos as Ball and Albrecht scored power play goals 1:55 apart giving the Mustangs a 5-2 lead.
Joseph cut the Broncos’ deficit to two with his fourth goal of the playoffs, and fourth goal in two games.
Anderson iced the game with an empty netter in the final minute as the Mustangs won 6-3.
One night allowing four goals on 17 shots and getting the hook, Plotnik was much better in the Mustangs goal turning aside 33 of the 36 shots he faced for his first win of the playoffs as the Mustangs were outshot 36-34.
The series now shifts back to Humboldt tied at one.
The Mustangs will have a chance to take their first lead of the series with Game 3 in Humboldt on March 20.
Game 4 will be back in Humboldt on March 21.
