'Stangs can't climb Aspen
Late push comes up short in 4-2 loss; Mansfield, Witwer provide goals.
LITTLETON – Holding it together for sports teams is the thing, notably for younger, inexperienced groups.
Ask Mullen’s Mustangs – their inability to maintain jumped up and bit them again, this time on Tuesday in a 4-2 setback to Aspen in nonleague at The Edge Ice Arena.
The loss dropped them to 1-12-1.
There was a lack of “consistency for us,” head coach Devon Brady said. “We played a really good first period, but couldn’t match (Aspen’s) intensity at all in the second. We got away from what we do well. We were sitting back, got a little undisciplined, got focused on some things we have no control over and couldn’t right the ship again.”
Leo Mansfield got the Mustangs on the board first with a score at 15:51 of the first period, assisted by William Rainey. Mullen’s sold play lasted through the first half of the second period before its wheels began to fall off against an Aspen attack that produced three scores in 3:01.
And while Jeff Witwer’s score from Ben Hollingsworth rewarded Mullen’s late pressing, Aspen put it away on a breakaway in the final minutes.
Goalie Logan Clouthier did what he could to keep the Mustangs in the game, Brady agreed, “and all things considered, except for a 7-minute stretch in the second period, we played pretty well.”
It also was Mullen’s first matchup against Aspen in Brady’s tenure.
The busy week is just beginning for Mullen – it will be at Air Academy Wednesday night at 8, its second of four games heading into the weekend.
ASPEN 4, MULLEN 2
Aspen 0 3 1 -- 4
Mullen 1 0 0 – 2
Mullen goals – Leo Mansfield, Jeff Witwer.
Mullen assists – William Rainey, Ben Hollingsworth.
Power plays – Aspen 0-for-6; Mullen 0-for-4.
Penalties – Aspen 20 minutes on six infractions; Mullen 14 minutes on six infractions.
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