Mustangs Earn Playoff Split in Pictou. First Playoff win in 5 years.

The South Shore Canadian Tire Mustangs played some exceptional hockey this past weekend earning a weekend split in Pictou County, losing narrowly on Saturday night 3-2 and winning Sunday 5-3 in a crucial game.

Saturday the Weeks midgets jumped out to a 1-0 lead after the first period on a powerplay goal by Steven MacNeil.  In the second Mathew Mingo and Brandon Verge traded goals to send Weeks into the dressing room up 2-1.

In the third, the Mustangs came out pressing for the equalizer but a goal by Bronson Beaton 8:37 into the period put the Weeks up 3-1.  With 8:46 remaining in the game Tyler Quinlan potted a goal on a nice 2-1 with Brennan Bailey to close the gap to one but that was as close as the Mustangs would get on this night.  Make the final 3-2 Weeks.  Matthew MacCullum made 18 saves for the win while Billy Clarke took the loss making 27 saves.

Sunday the Mustangs regrouped with a morning meeting at the hotel and discussed the positives from the night before, knowing a win would make the series a best of 3 with home ice advantage in the Mustangs favor.

The game did not start out well with the Pictou Weeks Midgets scoring 3 straight goals in the first to lead 3-0 after 1. Shots after the first favored Pictou 15-12.

While a lot of teams could have found a reason to quit after the first period, the Mustangs were calm and collected in the intermission considering the hole they were in.

In the second, Brennan Bailey got the ball rolling with a goal from a point blast.  Brandon Verge, Evan Lenihan and Cody Slaght all scored in the second period where the Mustangs outshot the Weeks 14-7 and scored 4 of their own to take the lead into the intermission 4-3.

In the third Brandon Verge scored his second of the game with 8:48 remaining to ice the well deserved TEAM victory. Final Shots favored the Mustangs 33-31.  Billy Clarke got the win in goal while Dylan Frank took the loss.

The win Sunday was the Mustangs first playoff win in 5 seasons.  The Mustangs will look to keep the momentum this Saturday when they take on the Weeks Major Midgets at the Bridgewater Memorial Arena.  Game time is 8:15pm.

Go Mustangs!