Mustangs finish off 2010 in style

The Canadian Tire Mustangs finished off 2010 in style on and off the ice at the Bridgewater Memorial Arena last night.  The opponent was the Cole Harbour Major Midgets, the only team in the NSMMHL that the Mustangs have yet to beat this year so the Mustangs dearly wanted this win.

The Stangs showed up for game day dressed in their ugliest Christmas sweaters for a little post game celebration.  Jagger Harnish gave the home side something to celebrate 50 seconds into overtime with the game winner.

In the first Cole Harbour jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a goal by Jonathan Hunson (Ritchie, Wentzell) but Connor O’Brien (Blair, Slaght) with a beautiful shot top shelf evened the score 1-1 after one period.

In the second the Mustangs came out flying early were rewarded when Avery Clarke (Brennan Bailey) and Brennan Bailey (Verge, Nickerson) scored to give the Mustangs the lead 3-1.  With the two second period points, Brennan Bailey ( 7goals 11 assists) has very quietly put together a nice offensive first half.  Bailey sits 4^th in NSMMHL defenseman scoring behind Adam Brown (Titans), Kyle Kavanaugh (Tradesmen), and Aaron Hoyles of the Ice Dawgs.

Cole Harbour came back with two goals with under 3 minutes remaining in the period off the sticks of Tyler Doyle (MacSween) and Jonathan Hunson (Ritchie) to send the two teams into the locker rooms tied at 3-3.

In the third Cole Harbour took the lead at 15:53 of the third when Jeremy Mock (Molloy, Mosher) scored a power play goal.   At the 11:52 mark of the third Brandon Challoner (Harnish, Patterson) outwaited a sprawling Jason Ellis and buried the tying goal for the Mustangs.

That was all the scoring until Jagger Harnish (Slaght, Verge) gave the Mustangs an early Christmas present with the OT winner.

Cole Skinner played a very strong game stopping 29 of 33 shots for the win.  Skinner has put together a very respectable rookie season thus far for the Mustangs with a 3.90 GAA and wins against Dartmouth, Pictou, Cole Harbour and the Valley and OT losses to Dartmouth and Cape Breton West. 

Jason Ellis took the loss stopping 27 of 32 shots for Cole Harbour.

With the win the Mustangs move one point ahead of the Valley Wildcats in the standings before the Christmas break.

The Canadian Tire Mustangs would like to wish their fans, sponsors, and billet families a very safe and happy holidays!

Go Mustangs!