Joey Payeur
This is why the playoffs are called the second season.
The Muskie boys’ hockey team—and its 14-1 record that captured the regular-season title—suddenly are a game away from being history after losing 3-1 to the second-place Dryden Eagles in Game 1 of their best-of-three NorWOSSA final last night at the Ice For Kids Arena.
Fort High now must go on the road Thursday night and beat Dryden to force a winner-take-all Game 3, which has been moved to this Sunday (March 1) at 2:45 p.m. at the IFK Arena.
The winner advances to the OFSAA ‘AA’ boys’ championship March 9-13 in Pembroke/Petawawa.
Brady Desserre is the sole reason the defending NorWOSSA champs are in this predicament as the Eagles’ goalie was phenomenal with 37 saves last night.
But Muskie head coach Jamie Davis leaned towards a different adjective to describe Desserre’s play.
“I wouldn’t say he was hot—lucky more than hot,” he said after the game.
“We didn’t have enough traffic in front of the net at the right times.”
In a game that featured only one penalty and a first period with no goals, Dryden got on the board at 7:32 of the second on Matt Kellar’s goal following a turnover in the Muskies’ zone.
Desserre, meanwhile, had to make three huge saves before the period was out.
The most jaw-dropping came off Chase McGuire. Desserre was facing the opposite direction of where McGuire was in front of the net but still was able to get his pad down to block the rookie forward’s shot on the doorstep.
It was more of the same in the third, with Desserre stoning Jarred Taylor on a clear-cut breakaway.
He then appeared to get just enough of Hunter Koles’ redirection later on, though Koles claimed afterwards that the puck hit the back bar of the net and came back out.
Another turnover in the Muskies’ zone led to an interception by Cam Zappitelli, who feathered a quick feed to Matthew Pitchenese in the slot for a shot over Muskie goalie Jordan Carlson’s glove with 2:59 to go.
That proved to be important insurance as Spencer Shortreed scored for the Muskies with 11.6 seconds remaining.
But with Fort High’s net still empty for the extra attacker, Pitchenese whistled a shot from Dryden’s blueline into the cage just before the buzzer sounded to seal the victory.
As for winning Game 2, Davis simply said, “Obviously, that’s the goal.”
“We had one of those games tonight. It happens,” he added.
Rookie forward Kendyn Faragher (shoulder) remained out of the lineup and is doubtful for Game 2.
The Muskie girls, meanwhile, open their best-of-three NorWOSSA final against the Eagles tonight in Dryden.
The first-place Eagles (12-0) will be the favourites against the second-place Muskies (9-3) as Dryden won all three regular-season match-ups.
But Fort High did beat the Eagles in the final of the K-Town Christmas Classic back in December.
Muskie veteran forward Jessica Coran was back at practice yesterday for the first time after having an appendectomy just over two weeks ago.
Coran said she felt “OK” after the practice, but doubted she would be ready to return to the lineup tonight.
Game 2 will go here Thursday at 7:15 p.m. at the ’52 Canadians Arena.
Game 3, if necessary, will be back in Dryden on Saturday.
