MUSKEGON – A really good team can brush off adversity and pick up where it left off following a disappointing loss.
The Mona Shores hockey team is certainly good, but didn’t play its best hockey in its opener at the Stan Konrad Hockey Showcase on Friday night, losing to Birmingham 5-4.
But the Sailors rebounded nicely on Saturday on the second day of the annual event. Landon Taylor scored the game-winning goal at the 3:02 mark of the third period, giving Mona Shores an exciting 3-2 victory over the Canton Chiefs at Lakeshore Ice Centre.
With the victory, the Sailors improved to 12-2 this season.
[1]“Beating teams like this helps build momentum,” said Mona Shores Coach Chris Benedict. “Nothing against any team that we have played, we haven’t had many competitive games, so it was nice to get this win.”
Penalties sunk the Sailors on Friday in their matchup against Birmingham. The Sailors emphasized being disciplined and moving their feet in the defensive zone on Saturday, and it paid off when they were only penalized four times.
“We had a long talk in the locker room after last night about good penalties and bad penalties,” Benedict said. “If you’re working hard and get a roughing penalty, we can live with that. We talked about the stick penalties and not moving your feet, those are the ones that kill us.”
The Sailor skaters played well and didn’t allow many shots against Canton, but when the Chiefs had opportunities, goalie Carter Dethloff was there to make a couple huge saves when called upon.
[2]“Carter was huge for us tonight, and he always is,” Benedict said. “He makes all of the saves he is supposed to make, and on top of that he makes some saves he’s not supposed to make.”
The Sailors opened the scoring 14:28 into the game. Ty Langlois won an offensive zone faceoff and was able to keep the puck and find Trent Benedict, who tapped in the goal.
Zach Leibrandt doubled the Sailors’ lead with 40 seconds to go in the second period with a short-handed goal, with assists from Nico Taylor and Kolin Jackson.
Canton junior Vince Hall cut the Sailors’ lead in half with a power play goal at the 2:19 mark of the third period.
Just over 40 seconds later, the Sailors responded with a Landon Taylor goal. Nathan McNarland and Nico Taylor assisted.
“The puck was rimmed around to me, I picked it up and saw we had a 2-on-1,” Landon Taylor said. “Their defender took away the pass so I decided to shoot and it went in.”
Canton scored at the 12:26 mark of the third period to cut the Mona Shores lead to 3-2, but could get no closer.
Dethloff made 17 saves in the winning effort. The Sailors outshot the Chiefs 46-19.
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