The Williams Lake Mustangs enjoyed two wins and one loss last weekend playing on home ice.
On Friday, Jan. 18, they beat their rivals the Quesnel River Rush with a 4-3 win.
They had, after all, lost 7-4 to the Rush on Dec. 20 on home ice and were looking to reverse that.
With no goals in the first period, the Rush scored the game’s first goal in the second period right off the bat,
with a shot in the net by Cash Anderson 12 seconds in.
Asher Lucas answered for the Mustangs with his team’s first goal at 1:53.
Toward the end of the second period, Christian Rapp scored at 18:09, giving the Rush a 2-1 lead going into the third.
It was in the third period the Mustangs gained the victory with three goals.
Noah Pears scored at 7:58, Garrett Feeney another one at 10:59 and Declan Pocock clinched the Mustangs’ fourth and winning goal at 12:01.
Jayden Mackie would score the third goal for the Rush at 14:13.
With less than two minutes left in the game,Toren Fron of the Rush and Noah Pears of the Mustangs left the game. Each of them received a 10-minute penalty for misconduct, plus Pears got a two-minute penalty for roughing.
While Rush goalie Kyan Gray kept out 22 of 26 shots on goal it was Mustangs goalie Alex Jessey
who who definitely earned his keep and the appreciation of his team members by stopping 47 of 50 shots on goal.
The KIJHL website noted stars of the game were Jayden Mackie for the Rush and Asher Lucas for the Mustangs, and a total of 503 people attended the game.
They repeated their winning streak Saturday with a 3-2 win playing the Kamloops Storm
Logan Hauk capped a three-goal third period for the Mustangs with the winning goal over the Storm. It was his 11th of the season.
The Mustangs scored twice on the power-play. Alex Jessey made 42 saves for the win and assisted on Declan Pocock’s 2-1 goal. Hayden Selin led the Storm with two assists, while Dawson Holitzki made 38 saves.
Alex Jessey was named star of the game for the Mustangs, Dawson Holitzki for the Storm.
On Sunday, however, the Princeton Posse won 6-2.
Carson Hebert led the Posse with a pair of goals, including the winner, over the Mustangs.
Goalie Blake Sittler made 23 saves for the win, while Evan Leggett allowed four goals on 24 shots in 24:46 of action.
Mustangs JP Desabrais and Matt Keylor each had a goal and an assist for the Mustangs.
Desabrais was named Star of the Game for the Mustangs, Jace Shuttleworth of the Posse.
The Mustangs' last game before the Christmas break was against Chase.
"We won that game and that's the team we're fighting against for a playoff spot against," said head coach Tyrel Lucas Monday, Jan. 13.
"They were five points up on us going into that game so we won that game and that put us in withing three points of them."
That win prompted the Mustangs to feel like the team was coming together and Lucas said they've kept that momentum going.
"Up until Jan. 10 obviously different teams are making roster changes and trying to kind of put themselves into a better position going into the end of the season and going into the playoffs," he explained.
As a result, Brendan Calahsen from the Creston Valley Thunder Cats joined the Mustangs, a couple of players were moved out and Trent Thiessen of Williams Lake was brought onto the Mustangs as a new addition.
"We just feel like the team is really come together as a group," Lucas said. "I'm super happy with the dressing room and the willingness to do it for each other. Everyone that we have is really excited to be here and work hard for each other every day."
Lucas said the weekend's games showed a good team effort both Friday and Saturday.
"On Sunday, we obviously have to give Princeton some credit. They are a very good hockey team and have a very good record."
Lucas said "unfortunately" the Mustangs made a few mistakes early in the game.
"We had a couple of penalties and got behind the eight ball right away. But I was happy with the way we battled. We gave them a couple of early goals, but then the third period it was 2-2 and we kind of battled to the end."
On Friday, Jan. 17 the Mustangs will play in Princeton and on Saturday, Jan. 18 in Osoyoos.
They have 12 games left before the playoffs and are back in Williams Lake on Saturday, Jan. 25 playing Quesnel and Sunday, Jan. 26 against Kamloops.
"We've jumped up into a playoff spot now and are three points ahead of Chase for the final playoff spot in our division," said Lucas.
With files from Emanuel Sequeira.