| For the fifth time in the last eight games, the Muskies had to go beyond the regulation three periods to decide the outcome. This time it ended in disappointment as the Voyageurs came out on top in the penalty shoot-out. A feisty game meant the special teams had to be working well for both teams, and they matched each other well. The Muskies took the lead in the first period when Aaron Keaney struck at 14:54 (from Alex Fiset and Mike Wills). They held that lead until the 10:09 mark of the second period when James Cameron pinched an unassisted goal. With the scores level at 1-1, everything was set for an epic third period.
It began well for the Muskies when the Vees got into a whole pile of penalty trouble with referee Bell. They amassed four minors in the first two and a half minutes to leave them very shorthanded and the Fish took advantage. Alex Charette and Kyle Stojsin set up Ryan Oliver for the powerplay marker at 3:32. It was a powerplay to Kingston that later brought the home team level again. Stojsin picked up a double minor for high-sticking, half of which was offset by a bench minor to the Vees, but the other half proved costly as Andrew Marcoux, MVP of the East division, recorded his 29th goal of the season at 10:09. When the Muskies regained the lead with only 3:13 remaining (courtesy of a goal by Shayne Taylor, from Stojsin and Oliver), they would have hoped and expected to hold on for the win. This feeling was reinforced when the Vees took another minor at 17:09. But disaster struck when Vick Schleuter got in for a shorthanded goal to knot the scores again. It forced overtime, which decided nothing, and so they went again to the shootout. Sadly Kingston came out on top in the skills contest as both their first two skaters scored while neither of their Lindsay counterparts (Taylor and Oliver) could match the feat.
The point does, however, mean the Muskies move four points ahead of the Quinte West Pack in the race for the last playoff place. These two teams will be back at it tomorrow (Friday) in the second half of the home and home. |
