After making quick work of the Dryden Eagles in the best-of-three NorWOSSA final last weekend, winning 9-1 here Friday and then 6-1 there Sunday, the Muskies feel they’re in good shape for the all-Ontarios in Sudbury later this month.
Jeff Savage, who scored twice in the first period of Friday’s contest and had a hat trick to start Sunday’s game, thinks the Muskies can do some damage at the all-Ontarios.
“If one guy has a bad game, then we have other guys who can step up and help each other out,” noted Savage. “When everyone is playing well, no one can stop us, not even down east.
“We have so many weapons,” he stressed.
“You’d be hard-pressed to find teams with the balance we [have],” agreed head coach Glen Edwards after Sunday’s clincher. “I think we’re set up pretty good.”
“Really, anyone on our team can put the puck in the net on any night,” echoed Muskie captain Chris Kellar.
Still, Edwards is a tad leery the Muskies haven’t played enough in their own zone. Breezing through the regular season at 16-0, then sweeping both playoff series with relative ease, didn’t offer them much of a test.
“I’m concerned a bit with the play in our own zone. We haven’t had much pressure, and we haven’t played the American teams for quite a while . . . we might be a bit rusty,” he warned.
The Muskies looked anything but rusty against Dryden, except for the opening few minutes of the game here Friday when the Eagles tested goalie Blake Carlson with several quality chances.
But after that, Dryden rarely generated much of an offensive attack, particularly during Sunday’s game.
Savage scored three times in the first period Sunday to stake the Muskies to a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes. Justin Ternowski netted Dryden’s goal after pouncing on a rebound in a wild scramble and beating Muskie starter Jamie Booth.
But it was all Muskies after that. David Lloyd made it 4-1 midway through the second on a power play, then Adam McTavish tallied with just two seconds left in the period, letting a hard shot go from the top of the circle.
Cole Hayward closed out the scoring at 2:42 of the third.
Edwards said he was impressed with the play of Savage on Sunday.
“Jeff Savage is really a quick hockey player, a wonderful opportunist,” he remarked.
The Muskies’ offensive weapons were out in full force Friday night. After Savage put the Muskies up 2-0, Tyler Coyle, Ross Anderson, and Cole Hayward (tipping in a loose puck near the goal line after a great individual effort by Savage) all scored in the second to make it 5-0.
McTavish and Hayward scored again early in the third to chase Dryden starter Derrick Lecocq before Don Kellar and Lloyd rounded out the Muskie scoring.
Scott Dingwall spoiled Carlson’s shutout bid at 7:23 of the third.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
