Joey Payeur
Byron Stewart wasn’t even attempting any false bravado.
“I’m exhausted,” grinned the worn-out, but happy defenceman who played more than 30 minutes as one of only three blueliners to finish the game as the Muskies toughed out a 5-0 victory over the Sioux Lookout Warriors in Game 1 of the best-of-three NorWOSSA boys hockey semifinal last night at the Ice for Kids Arena.
“I was sick just a few days ago. I’m going home to bed.”
Muskie head coach Jamie Davis jokingly stepped up to take credit for Stewart’s all-around strong play.
“Stewart was the star and played the best game of his life so far. It must have been the defence partner he had at practice yesterday—me,” laughed the bench boss.
Game 2 of the series goes tomorrow in Sioux Lookout, with Game 3 (if necessary) set for the Ice for Kids Arena on Monday at 7:15 p.m.
The Muskies started the game with only four defencemen after having two others suffer injuries in the regular-season finale this past Tuesday on the road against the Dryden Eagles.
Veteran Max Williams was hit into the boards from behind, suffering partially torn ligaments in his shoulder, although the optimistic Williams said he planned to return in time for the NorWOSSA final if the Fort gets that far.
Meanwhile, newcomer Colton Bodnar suffered an injury to his ribs after another hit from behind by the Eagles, but said he hoped to play in Game 2.
If that wasn’t bad enough, blueliner Mike Drouin was slashed in the finger in the second period and ended up having to leave the game midway through the third to get stitches.
Drouin, with a power-play marker 52 seconds into the first and a textbook bar down rocket at 6:58 of the second after he leapt out of the penalty box to create a 2-on-1, gave the Muskies a 2-0 lead over the underdog Warriors.
Just 15 seconds later, Warriors goalie Magnus Ray couldn’t squeeze Graeme Kitt’s hard shot, with the rebound going right to Chase McGuire to stick in the back of the net.
“We had some good pressure going before that and even after the goals,” noted Fort Frances head coach Jamie Davis.
Kitt made it 4-0 at 12:49 with the Fort’s second man-advantage goal (2-for-7 for the night) when he circled and then uncorked a bullet wrist shot that beat Ray to the short side.
The Warriors had their chances on the second, as starting goalie Dylan Ossachuk made a glove save on Parker McCrae’s breakaway opportunity on the visitors’ best chance.
Things went from bad to worse late in the second when Drouin looked to have been slashed in the finger and went to the bench doubled over in pain, while Cam Gushulak had to come out after having his head hit into the boards and getting a possible concussion.
Drouin tried to stand strong as he took a regular shift through much of the third period before reaggravating the injury and having to leave the game to go the hospital for stitches.
His departure left the Muskies with just Stewart, Connor Tibbs and Cole Allan in the rearguard corps and forced Davis to move Kitt from his normal centre position back onto the blueline.
“I hope we get at least one of our defencemen back for Saturday,” declared Davis.
Sioux Lookout’s fuse on the power-play was burnt out by the Muskies, who held the Warriors’ man-advantage units to an 0-for-7 showing for the game.
“Penalty killing is one of the most important parts of the game,” emphasized Stewart.
“You’re never going to win without your penalty killing.”
The Fort penalty killers even picked up a goal with their own.
Jake Clendenning’s dogged determination on the forecheck caused the Warriors’ Tyler Baker to turn the puck over to him, which led to a quick centring pass to Nick Hahkala, with the rookie burying a shot from in front behind Ray for the lone marker of the third at 7:27.
“To get a goal in my first Muskie playoff game was pretty exciting,” said the rookie forward.
“Just to get to play in the playoffs at all is pretty exciting, especially with this group of guys.”
Drouin and Kitt finished with three points each, while Allan had two assists.
Ossachuk was impenetrable in goal, although the shots on goal were unavailable at press time.
