Joey Payeur
If it was all the same to the Kenora Broncos, they would have preferred the Muskie boys’ hockey team celebrated at somebody else’s expense next time.
Four days after locking up first place and home-ice advantage throughout the NorWOSSA playoffs with a 3-1 win over the Dryden Eagles, Fort High dumped the host Broncos 9-1 on Monday.
The black-and-gold then returned to Kenora last night to face the St. Thomas Aquinas Saints (the outcome was unavailable as of press time).
“Anytime you get to start the playoffs on home ice and have it throughout the playoffs, it should be a big advantage to you,” said Muskie head coach Jordan Sinclair, whose team improved to 12-0 in regular-season play with Monday’s win.
“I don’t think we’ve lost a game on home ice this year [10-0] and obviously you want to play where you feel more comfortable and secure,” he reasoned.
Kendyn Faragher, James Gushulak, and Jon Busch scored against Dryden, with Spencer Murphy only allowing Nathan Kiddie’s tally in getting the win.
Then on Monday, rookie Kaden Nelson stepped up big time by notching his first career hat trick with the Muskies.
“Kaden and his line were good all night,” said Sinclair, referring to what’s a unique four-person rotation on the team’s fourth line that also includes Mikel Ward, Brett Kenny, and Sheldon Kelly Jr.
“They know their role and that they’re not relied on to do the scoring for us,” he noted.
“But when the third and fourth lines can pitch in, it can only help.
“Those guys don’t complain,” Sinclair added. “They go 100 percent when they go out there.”
Nelson got what was an exhausting–but ultimately successful–mandate by Sinclair with the third period winding down and the forward still a goal away from the hat trick.
“There was a stoppage with 5:21 left and I told him to stay out there until he got one,” chuckled Sinclair.
“It took him over three minutes, and he was still backchecking the whole time, but he was bent over with his stick on his knees near the end of it.
“When he finally got the goal, he could barely lift his arms.”
Byron Stewart, Mike Drouin, Cole Allan, Brent Jourdain, Kelly, and Landon Woods also scored against Kenora while Matt Booth earned the win in net.
“We had a really good first period getting up 4-0,” said Sinclair.
“But I didn’t like the way we played the first 17 minutes of the second,” he admitted. “It was like guys were thinking we scored four in the first so it’s time to pad my stats.
“It doesn’t work like that,” he stressed. “We stopped playing as five-man units and started making it more individual.”
Sinclair rated the third period so-so, though conceding, “Being up 7-0 going into the third, it’s difficult to get yourself going, I don’t care who you are.”
Defencemen Brandon Kocuiba and Connor Tibbs remained out of the lineup for Monday’s game, although Kocuiba skated at the “Skate with the Muskies” OFSAA promotional community event Sunday.
Sinclair is hopeful to have both blueliners back in time for the playoffs, which begin next week.
“Not saying the guys who have filled in haven’t done a good job, but you do notice when those two guys are not in the lineup,” he said.
The Muskies’ frantic span of four games in four days to close out the regular season continues tonight against the Broncos at 7:30 p.m. at the ’52 Canadians Arena.
Then the NorWOSSA finale goes tomorrow versus Dryden at 7:15 p.m. at the Ice For Kids Arena.
The Muskies are set to face the Sioux Lookout Warriors in the best-of-three semi-finals, which begins here Feb. 24.
