Nice ice: Mustangs snap 4-game skid

Welcome back from the holiday break, Mullen’s Mustangs.

Even better, welcome back, Connor Mahon.

The Mustangs certainly enjoyed a lot of it on Saturday night, handling Summit 5-2 in nonconference play at The Edge Ice Arena, snapping a four-game losing streak, returning to action since last month and having Mahon see his first ice time of the season after being sidelined with a knee injury suffered in fall play.

Pardon Mullen head coach Devon Brady for being excited.

“As ugly as it was, especially toward the end, nothing can equal a ‘W’,” he said. “The team we beat was 4-2. It was a good win.”

Plus, the return of Mahon, an all-conference selectee, was about as big of a lift that the Mustangs could get.

“Just his presence is big,” Brady said. “Obviously, the stats show that, too, because of how good he is and what a difference he makes, a half-second here, a half-second there … and his rebound control is through the roof. He just makes a big difference for us.”

Mahon stopped 32 of 34 Tigers shots, put up zeroes on the first two periods and was sharp in terms of seeing the pucks, reacting to mis-directions from the point and in traffic, handling rebounds and standing tall when the Mullen defense experienced lapses or was a step slow.

“It was great, a lot of fun,” Mahon said of his return. He had hyper-extended his left knee, but showed zero signs of any problems. “It was difficult sitting out and not being able to play,” he added, and is eager to log a lot of minutes in the crease. “At first, I was nervous, but I thought we also played pretty well defensively.”

Offensively, Mullen took a 3-0 lead in the first period as Riley Watters followed Alex Hertlein’s opening score with two of his own.

The lag in the middle period was real, but the Mustangs fended off two goals by the Tigers in the third period with two by junior Robby Witwer, one that included an assist by Mahon.

In all, Amos Mills had three assists and Hertlein a goal and two helpers. J.C. Carter and Aidan Cashman added assists.

Snapping its losing streak and enjoying the return of Mahon combined for a big lift for Mullen as it heads into a Highlands Conference home-and-away with a very good Heritage next weekend.

The Mustangs will savor Saturday’s performance -- as well as a spirited Alumni Game late last month -- as it prepares for the second portion of the regular season.

“It’s so nice, like a weight lifted off your back,” Watters said. “We’re still 2-5, but were getting there.”

 

Mullen goals – Riley Watters 2, Robby Witwer 2, Alex Hertlein.

Mullen assists – Amos Mills 3, Alex Hertlein 2, J.C. Carter, Aidan Cashman, Connor Mahon.

Mullen shots – 15-12-17 -- 34.

Mullen saves – Connor Mahon 32.