Staff
It was an exhibition in high-calibre offence—two of them, in fact.
The Muskie boys’ hockey team was firing on all cylinders as they beat two Minnesota teams in a pair of exhibition games over the weekend to complete their pre-Christmas schedule.
Fort High fell behind just 28 seconds into the game Friday night at the Ice For Kids Arena but stormed back for a 9-2 victory over the Kittson Bearcats (Hallock).
Alex Donaldson put a snapshot past Muskie goalie Matt Booth before the crowd even had settled into its seats.
But Colton Bodnar erased the deficit when he fired the puck stick-side on Bearcats ’goalie Jackson Soliai.
That elicited a flurry of stuffed animals as part of the team’s annual “Teddy Bear Toss,” with the collected toys to be given out for Christmas to under-privileged kids in the area.
Chase McGuire and John Karboviak (shorthanded) later traded goals to make the score 2-2 after the first.
But it was all Muskies after that—scoring seven unanswered markers to leave the Bearcats in the dust.
Jon Busch netted the game-winner late in the second period, which kicked off a flood of five goals in a span of 4:40.
Sully Shortreed scored with 26 seconds left in the second, then again just 39 seconds into the third to stretch the lead at 5-2.
Matt Cheetham also went back-to-back—striking at 2:26 to chase Soliai and then again just 24 seconds later on the first shot directed at back-up Ben Sugden.
Byron Stewart and Brent Jourdain then tallied 1:16 apart late in the third to round out the scoring.
A trip to Red Lake Falls the next day proved just as fulfilling for the Muskies, who downed the Lafayette Eagles 6-1.
The Muskies piled up five goals in the opening 9:30 of the game on a pair of markers from McGuire bookending singles by Sam Tibbs, Graeme Kitt, and Kendyn Faragher.
Chase Schmitz scored shorthanded at 4:36 of the second but that was the only shot that beat Muskie goalie Dylan Ossachuk.
Bodnar rounded out the scoring with 27 seconds left in the middle frame.
Fort High played both game without forwards Nick Hahkala and defenceman Connor Tibbs (concussions), as well as blueliner Max Williams (unknown).
The Muskies next travels to Thief River Falls, Mn. for a three-day tournament starting next Monday (Dec. 28).
Their next home game isn’t until Jan. 14 against the Kenora Broncos.
