Outliers overpower Mustangs
The Utah Outliers have been riding a wave of momentum as they entered their game against the Ogden Mustangs this past Sunday. After dramatically defeating the South Shore Kings on Friday night, the Outliers returned to play on Sunday afternoon at the Ice Sheet in Ogden. The Outliers were looking to continue their recent dominance over their I-15 rival.
The Outliers and Ogden came into Sunday's contest having won their previous outings and hoped to take that momentum into the battle of Utah. The game started fast and furious with a lot of physical play and board battles. Outliers’ goaltender Marco Felicetti got the start in goal for Utah and was tested early and came up with big saves to keep Ogden off the board.
The outliers would break the scoreless tie and find the first goal of the game off the stick of Nick Obourn at 12:35 of the first period. Utah forward Will Cohen intercepted a puck in the neutral zone and made a nice pass to teammate Miles Mccue who skated into the Mustangs zone and attempted to drive the net. As Mccue was driving to the goal he was defended before he could get his shot off. After losing control of the puck, Mccue quickly regained it along the end boards and made a centering pass to Obourn who was left all alone to backhanded his shot over the glove of the Mustangs netminder for a 1-0 Utah lead.
Unfortunately for Utah, Ogden answered back with a goal of their own at the 9:49 mark. While breaking out of their zone, the Mustangs made a stretch pass into the neutral zone that created a two-on-one rush against the Outliers. The two-on-one attack was broken up nicely by the Outliers’ defenseman Magnus Einarson but the puck ended up behind the Utah net and was recovered by an Ogden player. Upon recovering the puck, the Mustang player threw a pass to the front of the net where his Ogden teammate would blast a one-timer past Felicetti.
The first period concluded with the game tied at 1-1 and the Mustangs outshooting the Outliers 9-8 in the opening frame. Both teams had some power-play opportunities in the opening period but neither team could convert as the penalty kill units defended well.
In the second period, it was much of the same physical play and intensity that displayed itself through the first period. Both teams showed a lot of aggression and intense checking as they pressed for the next goal of the game. At 13:01 Utah would once again take the lead scoring their second goal of the afternoon. After controlling the puck in the Ogden zone, a puck battle along the half wall ensued and it would be Outliers forward Miles Mccue winning that puck and taking it to the net. After winning the puck out of a board scrum, Mccue cut across the Ogden zone and ripped a shot through the arm of the Mustangs goalie for a 2-1 Utah lead.
Once again, the Outliers could not hold the lead for long as they were called for a penalty at the 10:52 mark. The Mustangs’ power play went to work and set up in the Outliers’ zone where they passed the puck around and created a shot from the point. The initial shot was stopped by Outliers’ goalie Felicetti but a rebound lay at the net for an Ogden player to tap it in and tie the game 2-2 at the 9:12 mark.
Both teams generated more chances in the second period but neither team could beat the opponents’ goaltender. The two keepers were up to the challenge and made some key saves for their respective teams. The shots on goal for the second period were Outliers 10 and Mustangs 15.
The third period was one to remember for the Outliers. After winning dramatically on Friday, Utah would add another heroic performance to its season. With the Mustangs leading 3-2 halfway through the first period, the Outliers poured on the offense incredibly by scoring 5 goals in the final 9 minutes of the game.
Things got started for the Outliers when they secured control of an offensive zone face-off and defenseman Helvis Rudzajs would make a pass to his defenseman partner Alex Schluep. The young defenseman ripped a shot from the point that found its way into the top corner of the net and tie the game at 3-3.
It would take the Outliers just nine seconds to increase their lead to 4-3 when they won the following face-off at center ice and defenseman Magnus Einarson made a cross-ice pass to forward Will Cohen. The talented forward then broke into the Mustangs zone along the right side and then cut to the middle to find open space. While cutting through the open lane, Cohen rifled a spectacular shot that would go 'bar down' over the glove of the Ogden netminder and give Utah the lead.
Just over three minutes later, the Outliers extended its lead to 5-3 when Matt Kreczman collected the puck in the neutral zone and rushed down the ice into the Mustangs zone. Kreczman then made a drop pass that was defended by an Ogden player but Outliers defenseman Magnus Einarson would grab the loose puck and weave his way to the net and launch his shot top corner for another Utah goal.
Soon after their fifth goal, the Outliers would be rewarded with a power play and they would once again make the Mustangs pay. Only a 1:31 after Utah's 5th goal, Will Cohen struck again to haunt the Mustangs. While Utah's power-play worked the puck in the Mustangs zone, Cohen received a pass from defenseman Jakub Suran at the point and then skated down the left side of the zone and drilled another 'bar down' laser over the glove of the Mustangs goalie for a 6-3 Outliers lead.
Utah was not finished with their offensive onslaught of scoring as Nick Obourn converted his second goal of the game with only 1.5 seconds remaining in the third period. It was then another power-play goal for the Outliers and historic offensive performance. Utah outshot the Mustangs 22-6 in the final frame and skated off the ice with a convincing 7-3 victory.