Jets corralled by Mustangs in shootout

by Stephen Dafoe

After a highly impressive winning streak that extended to 12 straight games, the Edmonton Mustangs defeated the Morinville Junior B Jets 4-3 in a shootout on Wednesday, Jan. 10.

The midweek game was the Jets’ third game in four days, having already taken to the ice Sunday and Tuesday.

The Jets started the week on Sunday, Jan., 7 with a 5-4 overtime win against the CJHL’s top-ranked St. Albert Merchants, giving hometown and visiting fans 60 minutes of exciting hockey.

With the first period ending 1-1, the 2nd period saw intense action, with the Jets taking the lead after 20 at 3-2. In the final frame, the Merchants mounted a comeback to tie the game 3-3 at 8:29. The Jets stayed resilient, pulling the tally ahead to 4-3 in the Jets favour. However, the Merchants drove the contest to overtime with 2:01 left on the clock.

As the game headed into overtime, the intensity reached new heights. Cody Laliberte, assisted by Dechamplain and Hampton, secured the 5-4 victory for the Jets at 4:35.

Tuesday, Jan. 9 was the Jets’ second home game of the week and their twelfth consecutive win, this time defeating the Beverly Warriors 5-3.

In a game that saw the Jets outshoot the Warriors 47-34 across three periods, things were evenly matched in the first period. Jacob Klassen and Braydin Maio pocket the first two goals of the game for the Jets, but both were answered by the Warriors to end the frame 2-2.

However, the Jets started to move ahead in the middle frame, with Graeme Hampton and Cody Laliberte bookending goals at the beginning and end of the period to negate one from Beverly in the middle of the period.

Leading 4-3 after two, the final frame was a scoreless affair throughout until Jamie Visser pocketed the Jets fifth into an empty Beverly net with 39 seconds left on the clock.

Hoping for a baker’s dozen wins, the Jets took to the road on Wednesday, Jan. 10 to face the Edmonton Mustangs.

In their third game of the week, the Jets were corralled 4-3 by the Mustangs in a game that went to a shootout.

Ethan Dechamplain opened scoring for the Jets at 8:21, but his goal was answered a minute-and-a-half later to end the opening frame 1-1.

In the second period, the Mustangs pocketed one early on to take a 2-1 lead. Ryan Conquergood and Ashton Funk provided goals to reverse the lead, but the Mustangs responded once again to end the middle frame 3-3.

The third and overtime periods remained scoreless, driving the contest to a shootout with four shooters.

Wednesday night’s road loss brings the Jets to a 21-6-1 record this season and a second-place seating in the CJHL’s West Division, eight points behind the league-leading St. Albert Merchants and five points ahead of the third-place Beverly Warriors.

The Jets play on the road Friday night against the Fort Saskatchewan Hawks and at home on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. against the Beverly Warriors.