Muskies lose season opener to Preds; Bad luck plagues Fish on two occasions

Posted By Ron Druery, Lindsay Daily Post
Posted 15 hours ago

A light schedule in the opening two weeks of the regular season means the Lindsay Muskies will have seven days to sit and think about Friday's 5-2 loss to the Port Hope Predators.

Despite the three-goal difference, the Muskies were in Friday's Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League game at the Lindsay Recreation Complex until the final minute. Trailing 3-2, head coach Tom Thornbury pulled goaltender Chris Fearneley in favour of an extra skater only to see Port Hope score a pair of empty-net goals. Even with an extra attacker, the Muskies had trouble getting the puck into the Predators' end and creating scoring chances. Thornbury noticed this had become a problem in the final minutes of the third period.

"We were aggressive and playing with a lot of intensity," he told The Lindsay Post. "But with about seven or eight minutes left we had some mental lapses. We didn't make the right pass or decision. It looked like the guys were trying to force a pass."

Muskies captain Corey George agreed with his coach's assessment that the club had a strong effort.

However, he believes that the players' unfamiliarity with each other cost them a chance at victory.

"We had a good effort, we just weren't clicking tonight," he said. "We have a lot of new players and we haven't been together for a whole game yet. I guarantee with another week of practice we'll have a better performance next week."

The Muskies undoing was also the result of some crummy luck.

Short-handed and down by a goal in the second period, Cam Granger won a foot race over Predators goalie Jeff Potvin for a loose puck. Granger deked around a sprawling Potvin, but his shot on a wide-open goal hit the side of the net.

Then, in the opening minute of the third, the Muskies and their fans thought they had tied the game when the puck appeared to have crossed the goal line.

But referee Sean Coles ruled the puck didn't go in and Port Hope held on to its one-goal advantage.

"We didn't have any luck tonight," George said with a shake of his head and shrugging shoulders moments after the final buzzer. "If we had've scored then who knows what would have happened."

Muskie goals were scored by a pair of newcomers as Alex Charette and Mike Madgett found the back of the net. George, Aaron Keaney, Travis Herlein and Rory Landry added assists in the loss.

Chad Dunlop and Jordan Wilson led the Predators' offensive attack with two goals each. Nathan Joy scored the visitor's fifth and final goal. Ben Finney and Tyler Miller added three and two assists, respectively.

The Muskies will look to even their record at 1-1 when they host the Predators again this Friday. Game time at the Rec Complex is 7:30 p.m.

FISH TALES - LW Mitch Vasey, RW Jordan Sinclair and D Brad Langford did not dress Friday. All three are nursing injuries. Vasey had two front teeth knocked out during Thursday's practice while Sinclair is out with a charley horse and Langford is recovering from minor knee surgery. All three were expected to practice last night . . . Ryan Oliver was helped off the ice by Muskie trainers in the third period after a thundering hit by Dunlop. Thornbury said Oliver isn't expected to miss any game action . . . Mayor Ric McGee dropped the puck for the ceremonial faceoff. He then won the 50/50 draw, but donated his winnings back to the hockey team . . . Attendance was announced at 327.