A 2nd late loss to Columbine

By Neil H. Devlin, Mullen Sports Information Director
Columbine wins 4-3.
LITTLETON – It happened again.
In their opener on Dec. 1, Mullen’s Mustangs blew a lead against Columbine heading into the third period.
On Friday night, the Mustangs again led the Rebels after two periods. However, they again fell, 4-3 in overtime at The Edge.
Which one-goal loss stung the most? Call it even.
“It sucks,” Mullen head coach Devon Brady said. “The same spot, both times up by a goal, we just … we’re close, we’re close. It’s these little ones like this that you need to fix.”
Mullen (4-2 overall), in dropping to 0-2 in the Highlands Conference and having its four-game winning streak halted, didn’t trail until the Rebels ended it on a goal with 1:36 to play in overtime. Mustangs junior goalie Connor Mahon didn’t have much of a chance when the Rebels’ Luke Juergensen, who had a medical scare in the first matchup when he collapsed on the bench, came in alone on a 4-on-4 and scored.
Certainly, Brady knew the Mustangs had three solid chances down the stretch after Columbine (3-5-1, 3-1-1) tied it at 3. But none of them clicked and the Rebels scored the game’s final three goals.
Mullen’s Riley Watters opened the scoring, 7:40 into the game on an assist by John Witwer. Nick Gilbert gave the lead back to the Mustangs with a score off another assist by Witwer, as he roofed one from the left side at 15:43.
Just 1:03 into the second, Robby Witwer made it 3-1 lead on John WItwer’s third assist and another from Utah Bryant.
But that was it for the Mullen scoring and Brady lamented being unable to get the lead to 4-1. Plus, Columbine, which outshot the Mustangs 43-25 (and 18-8 in the third period), scored with 11.2 seconds to play in the second to make it 3-2.
“You can’t give one up in the first minute of the period and the last one,” he said. “It took the momentum away and we came out flat in the third period, which was disappointing.”
Columbine also held the puck in its offensive end the majority of the time in the third period and the Mustangs were only 1-of-6 on the power play.
And there will be little time to reflect – they were to face Chatfield in another Highlands matchup in less than 24 hours, on Saturday, Jan. 5, at The Edge, 8:30 p.m.
“This is hockey,” Brady said. “We have to find a way. We’re right there, but we have to find a way to start putting teams away. It comes with experience and there’s nothing you can do to make up for experience.”
 
COLUMBINE 4, MULLEN 3 OT
Mullen  2  1  0  0  --  3
Columbine 1  1  1  1  -- 4
Mullen scoring
First Period -- Riley Watters (John Witwer), 4:40; Nick Gilbert (John Witwer), 15:43.
Second Period – Robby Witwer (John Witwer, Utah Bryant), 1:03.
Mullen Saves – Connor Mahon, 39.
Mullen Shots on Goal – 10-5-8-2 – 25
Mullen Penalties – 6 for 12 minutes.
 
 
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