Skip to content

Mustangs trot over EBA to open season

Perhaps the best indication of a team’s proficient offense is its ability to rack up shorthanded goals.

Perhaps the best indication of a team’s proficient offense is its ability to rack up shorthanded goals.

The Pee Wee Mustangs, facing a total of four EBA Engineering power plays, managed to produce two shorthanded goals on their way to a 7-5 comeback win to open the season.

“All I ask is that (they) try to keep the puck deep,” said Mustangs coach Kerry Pettitt, speaking of the shorthanded goals. “If we get a goal, great — but that’s not the focus. Keep it out of our end, and that’s the best way to kill a penalty.

“We’ve got guys that can score — we know that that’s going to happen anyway — so (we) just tightened up on defence,” said Pettitt. “We try to push the offensive team to the outside and try to limit shots.”

Mustangs were down 3-1 with a couple of minutes left in the first, before Riley Pettitt scored his first of two goals to put the Mustangs back within one.

Riley also assisted three goals in the game. However, Kerry Pettitt is pleased with the performance of his whole team.

“I don’t think anyone really stands out (in this game),” said Pettitt. “The whole team, three lines deep, played well and that’s impressive for us. It’s nice to see.”

The Mustangs increased their lead to 6-3 in the opening minutes of the third when Ryan Chippett managed to hack in a rebound as the Mustangs swarmed the EBA goal crease during a penalty-kill. 

“Most of this team has been playing together now — this will be going on their fourth year playing together,” said Kerry Pettitt. “And they know how to get it done. They support each other well, hustle to loose pucks and the goals were just the result of hard work and teamwork.

“I tend to not focus a whole lot on where we’re at in parts of the game,” said Pettitt. “We either winning or losing, and we’ve got to work harder to win.”

Mustangs’ Wyatt Gale and Jared Steinbach both had multi-point games, each with a goal and an assist. Jordan King and Jarrett Malchow also scored, while teammate Braeden Paun-Burnett produced two assists.

The Pee Wee Mustangs will be heading to a tournament in Salmon Arms, BC, at the start of November.

“We have tried a bit of everyone in the penalty kill,” said Pettitt “So it’s a good time to experiment before we get to our competitive tournaments, and so far we liked what we saw from everybody.”

Rec league results

Friday: Evirolube Oilers 5, Yukon Inn Boiler Room 4

Saturday: Yukon Appliance 9, Kluane Drillers 3;

Midget Mustangs 4, Terra Firma Muckers 4