Muskies drop home game to Mapleton–Minto

November 26, 2014 · 0 Comments

The Shelburne Muskies couldn’t overcome a two goal deficit in Saturday (Nov. 22) night’s home game against the Mapleton-Minto 81’s despite playing a stellar game that saw much of the action in the 81’s end of the arena.
The loss came one night after the squad travelled to Elora and lost to the first place Rocks.
Saturday’s loss wasn’t because of a lack of effort – they simply could not bury the puck in the 81’s net.
Defensively they played a strong game, especially in the late going when they turned on their penalty kill to keep the Mapleton-Minto squad stymied inside the blue line.
On offence, the Shelburne squad played a well executed and fast game that should have seen them score, but it was just one of those games where they were shut down by some good goal tending in the 81’s end.
The Muskies only goal came from Chris Greer in the second period.
Depite the loss, Muskies coach Bill Hodgson said the team rallied from the previous night’s game in Elora.
“That was a lot better game than last night,” He said after Saturday’s loss.
The Muskies, he said, played a good game, they just couldn’t score.
“We didn’t get the bounces the other team got. When ever they got it, it went in our net. It bounced their way all night. We did out-skate them and we out-played them.”
Going into the final period the Shelburne team found themselves on defensive mode when a series of penalties put them on the ice with a short-stack of skaters.
“We were keeping them out in the third period. We killed a five-on-three for six minutes in the third period,” Hodgson said.
With a 3–1 score late in the frame and two minutes left on the clock, the Muskies bench pulled their goalie and put six attackers on the ice in a bid to get a reprieve in the late going and get back into the game.
The bid failed when the puck bounced back to centre ice and was picked up by a Mapleton-Minto player who had a shot at an open net to end the game 4–1.
The loss leaves the Muskies with a 3–8 record after 11 games into the season.
Over all, the Elora Rocks continue to lead the League with 18 points and a 9–3 record, followed by the Tavistock Royals of the South Division who are rolling on an 11–8 record and 17 points so far.
The Saugeen Shores Winterhawks are tied with the Shallow Lake Crushers in third place.
The Muskies will return to home ice at the Centre Dufferin Recreation Complex in Shelburne this Friday (Nov. 28) to host the Durham Thundercats.
Game time is 8:30 p.m.