Two 3rd-period goals signal defeat
Lose late to Columbine.
LITTLETON – They’re a year older, there was a lot of excitement and they put forth an effort.
But it wasn’t quite good enough. Mullen gave up two goals in the third period and fell to Columbine 3-2 in the Highlands Conference on Saturday night in its season opener at a very crowded Edge Ice Arena.
“Our compete level was pretty good, but it’s not good enough for us anymore,” Mustangs head coach Devon Brady said. “We need to move on and take the next step. Tonight was a really good opportunity to do that.”
The Mustangs used goals by Ashton Smaldone and Robert Witwer to overcome a 1-0 deficit in the second period, but couldn’t answer down the stretch. All three of Columbine’s goals came on the power play, the last two in a 1 minute, 4-second stretch midway through the third period – one during a 5-minute penalty and another right off a face-off.
While junior goalie Connor Mahon was strong again, Brady said his roster, still dominated by underclassmen, has work to do.
“We weren’t consistent across the board, too many individual efforts and not enough puck movement side-to-side,” he said. “We didn’t win many battles.”
Mullen also was 0-of-9 on the power play.
The much-more experienced Rebels were coming off a 6-0 defeat the previous day against Denver East and Brady said “it makes a big difference getting a game under your belt. The nice thing is we can fix it. And we have that first game out of the way.”
The Mustangs were outshot 34-22 (only a combined nine over the first and third periods), a common occurrence the past season, but the gap was smaller and there were scoring chances – including hitting the crossbar twice, once with 35 seconds to play. Plus, Columbine had an earlier 2-on-none and didn’t score.
In addition, the game was stopped with 10:54 to play in the second period when Columbine’s Luke Juergensen, a junior, collapsed on the bench. After several anxious moments, he was able to stand up with help and make his to a gurney with paramedics taking him to a hospital. Afterward, Columbine staff said Juergensen suffered a seizure and they were on their way to the hospital to check on him.
As a result of the delay, there was no intermission between the final two periods.
Next up for Mullen: a nonconference matchup with Air Academy on Dec. 7, 8:30 p.m.
“I have expectations and losing sucks,” Brady said. “We didn’t know what we had, but today was a good look at that kind of stuff.”
COLUMBINE 3, MULLEN 2
Columbine 0 1 2 -- 3
Mullen 0 2 0 -- 2
Mullen goals
Second period – 1, Ashton Smaldone (John Witwer), 2;29; 2, Robert Witwer (Utah Bryant), 6:14.
Shots on goal – Columbine 10-11-13—34; Mullen 4-13-5—22.
Power plays – Columbine 3-of-4; Mullen 0-of-9.
Penalties – Columbine 9, Mullen 4.
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