Mustangs knocked out of playoffs

 

SUPERIOR – They did what they could, their effort was major and the other team was, well, just better.

So even though Mullen’s Mustangs were blanked 5-0 by Monarch in the first round of the Colorado playoffs on Tuesday, they left the ice at the Sport Stable disappointed, yes, as their season ended, but, no, there wasn’t match to complain about regarding their play.

“We needed a bounce or a break or something to get in there,” Mustangs head coach Devon Brady said. “It just didn’t happen. But we played hard.”

In ending an up-and-down 7-12, No. 24 Mullen kept it scoreless through a period and trailed only 2-0 after two … and it could have been different.

“It could have been a 1-1 game,” Brady said.

Or better … the Mustangs’ J.C. Carter was robbed on a brilliant glove save in the first period and Peter Osborne whistled one from the top of slot that went off the crossbar and slowly climbed over the net in the second. However, the No. 9 Coyotes (12-6-2) came right back down the ice and made it 2-0.

“We had two good opportunities and if we were to win it would have to be like a 3-1 game or a 2-1 game,” Brady said.

Monarch put it away with three in the third. The Coyotes seemed to constantly pressure the Mustangs and all but lived in their end, peppering senior goalie Connor Mahon with 49 shots. He ended a stellar career with 44 saves.

“He just has great vision,” Brady said, “and he makes it look easy.”

In addition to Mahon, the coach cited the play of Eoin Canavan on defense and his team’s overall effort.

“(The Coyotes) were deeper and they can roll three lines,” Brady sad. “We just kind of ran out of steam, but I was extremely, extremely impressed with our effort and how we did.”

Mustangs junior Robby Witwer called Monarch “a really good team.”

Monarch head coach Jimmy Dexter told BoCoPreps “(the Mustangs’) goalie played well and their whole team was a lot better than I thought they were going to be,” although Mullen mustered only 10 shots against a program that was in four consecutive title games, winning in 2017, a semifinalist in 2018 and quarterfinalist a year ago. The Coyotes will take on No. 8 Pine Creek on Friday at The Ice Ranch.

Mullen won only one game four years ago and will lose eight seniors for 2020-21, but Brady remains encouraged.

“We are in a really, really good spot, except for goaltender, so we need to figure that out,” he said. “The future is bright for us right now.”