Staff
The Muskie girls’ hockey team finally got the monkey off their backs.
After a pair of tournament-final losses in Altona and Dryden last month, the Muskies took the next step with a 5-2 win over their NorWOSSA rivals, the Kenora Broncos, in the final of the first-annual Saints Christmas Classic in Portage La Prairie, Man. on Saturday.
The squad played four games over the two-day tournament, earning three wins and a tie.
They opened against Winnipeg powerhouse Oak Park, who they had lost to 2-0 back on Nov. 7 but this time battled to a 1-1 tie.
The black-and-gold rebounded with a 9-0 shutout over the Fort Richmond Centurions before doubling the Westwood Warriors 4-2 in the semi-finals to set up yet another clash with Kenora.
The Muskies have met the Broncos six times in league and tournament play so far, compiling a one-sided 5-1 record.
Fort High, sporting a 3-0-0-1 record in NorWOSSA play, are in Dryden tomorrow night to face the undefeated Eagles (4-0).
Boys fall short
Meanwhile, the Muskie boys’ hockey team fell just short yesterday, losing 5-3 to Oak Park in the final of the Genesis Hospitality tournament in Brandon, Man.
Blake Wepruk, Kyle Herr, and Zach McCool were the Muskie snipers, with McCool and Wepruk also getting tournament all-star nods.
The black-and-gold had opened play Thursday with a 14-2 thrashing of Birtle, getting a pair of hat tricks from Herr and Matt Goldamer.
Then they won a tight game Friday, slipping past Pembina Valley 2-1. Ryan McDowall notched the game-winner in the third after Dave Chambers had scored earlier in the game.
Fort High then blanked Stonewall 3-0. Jamison Shortreed earned the shutout in goal while Jamie Kaun, Brendan Cawston, and Adam Wensley were the goal scorers.
The Muskies then advanced to the final with a narrow 4-3 win over Westwood on Saturday—exacting revenge after they lost to the Warriors in the tournament semi-final a year ago.
The locals snapped a 3-3 deadlock with under three minutes to play on a power-play marker by Donovan Cousineau.
Kaun added a pair of goals while Cawston netted the other. Josh Scott drew two assists.
The black-and-gold resume NorWOSSA action tomorrow night in Kenora, looking to improve on their 5-1 league record.
