Mitch Calvert
The Muskie girls’ hockey team beat the International Falls Broncos 4-2 on Friday to sweep the annual home-and-home exhibition series with their border rivals.
Taylor Meyers scored twice while Miranda Kellar added three assists to pace the Muskie attack.
“It’s a good way to go into the Christmas break,” assistant coach Lynn Kellar said. “This has been a tough week, our kids have been really tired, I think they’ve played 33 games already, but overall it’s been a really good first half.”
Meyers scored the first two Muskie goals, both assisted by Kellar, then Kailey Curtis lit the lamp with Jillian Langtry and Haven Labbe drawing the assists.
Carlee Bosma rounded out the scoring for the black-and-gold, with Kellar again getting the assist.
The squad had beaten the Falls 8-1 in the series-opener here back on Dec. 5.
It was a tough week to close out NorWOSSA play for Fort High, however, as they lost 6-3 to Dryden on Dec. 16 and then 7-1 to Kenora last Thursday (Dec. 18).
The Broncos got redemption for a loss to the Muskies in the final of the Saints Christmas Classic tournament in Portage La Prairie, Man. earlier in the month.
“That one didn’t go so well,” Lynn Kellar admitted.
“But this is always our toughest week of the year,” he added. “Between hockey, school, and Christmas coming, the kids get a little frazzled.
“You know, we told the kids Thursday in Kenora was a bit of a letdown but overall, even though they’ve been tired, the effort has been there.
“Even in Portage [Saints Christmas Classic], they were tired, but the effort was there and they were rewarded for it,” Kellar praised.
The team will be back on the ice beginning Dec. 29 with hopefully fresher legs and a renewed interest, and then will play their annual alumni game on Dec. 30.
The Muskies will resume NorWOSSA action Jan. 6 when Kenora comes to town—a team they’ve already played seven times this season in league and tournament play, racking up a 5-2 record against them.
“[The schedule] drops right off in the second half, but it gives the kids a chance to rest up and get ready for the
playoffs,” Kellar noted.
