Lucas Punkari
The Muskie girls’ hockey team is becoming quite familiar with the Kenora Broncos in the early stages of the 2011-12 NorWOSSA season.
Having played each other twice in the Muskie girls’ tournament back in October, then doing battle in a league showdown in Kenora last Tuesday night, the two squads will square off yet again this Friday (Nov. 25) at 7 p.m. at the ’52 Canadians Arena here.
In their latest encounter last week, it was the Broncos who skated away with a 3-2 win in a back-and-forth affair—gaining a small measure of revenge over a Fort High crew that had knocked them off in the tournament final here last month.
“It was a really good game between both teams,” noted Muskie head coach Scott Clendenning.
“It was tied at zero after the first period, [then] Kenora jumped in front during the second with a pair,” he recalled. “But we were able to get two goals in the third period before they scored a late one to win it.
“However, the girls are starting to come together nicely and there are some really good things happening out there,” Clendenning added.
Scoring for the Muskies were Taylor Dixon, on a shot in front of the cage, and Shae-Lynn Smith with a huge blast from the point.
Although the black-and-gold were able to tally twice in the loss to the Broncos last Tuesday, getting the puck into the net is still the main thing Clendenning is working on with his team.
“You can trace it back, as well, to our game against Dryden, where we outshot them 43-21 but ended up losing,” he remarked.
“That’s one thing we have really been working at in practice this week . . . just shooting the puck and getting it to the net to have opportunities to score.”
Those practice opportunities to prepare for their game with Kenora this Friday also increased this past week as the Muskies’ scheduled contest against Sioux Lookout here this past Friday was cancelled when the Warriors pulled out of the NorWOSSA loop for this season due to low numbers.
“It’s unfortunate for the girls up there and for the school, and it’s tough to see when something like that happens,” said Clendenning.
“We did fill that game that was supposed to take place here by having Red Lake come here on [Sunday] Dec. 18,” he noted.
“But we have yet to hear about what will happen with our game that was supposed to take place there later this year [on Feb. 4].”
Looking ahead, the Muskies will be hitting the road next Tuesday to face the Dryden Eagles, which Clendenning expects to be another close encounter.
“Just looking at the league this year, I think anyone can win it,” he remarked.
“The games so far between us, Kenora, and Dryden have all been fairly competitive, and I think whoever is the most consistent in their play will determine the outcome at the end of the year.”
Consistency also is something Clendenning wants to see in their games against Kenora and Dryden, especially with the forward unit.
“I think if we can have all three lines rolling, we are going to be very hard to beat,” he stressed.
“It tends to be, so far, that one line will show up for one game, and then another line will show up for the next game, but not all three at one time,” he admitted.
“That consistency is something we have been working on as of late, and I’m hoping to see that out of the girls in our next couple of games.”
Off the ice, the Muskie girls will be involved in a number of events over the next couple of weeks leading into the holidays.
They will be participating in the Santa Claus parade here this coming Saturday, then will host their annual tea and bake sale in the Fort High cafeteria next Saturday (Dec. 3).
As well, the team will hold its annual teddy bear toss on Tuesday, Dec. 6 when the International Falls Broncos come to town for an exhibition game.
