MIDDLETON, N.S. - The Middleton Mustang Atoms sit atop the Annapolis Valley Minor Hockey League Atom C 9-team Eastern Division tied with Berwick -- both with 21 points.
The Mustangs have 10 wins, a pair of losses with one tie. One loss was their first game of the season and the other just recently was in their third game of the day that the host team wouldn’t reschedule for them. The tie was an 8-8 affair with Berwick.
The 14-member 9- and 10-year-old Mustangs consists of: Goaltender Alex Dufresne with his acrobatic saves keeps the Mustangs in every game; defence pairs are Garrett Hoogerwerf with Ben Wagstaff, and Cooper Annis with Hannah Johnson; the swift skating centres are Madex den Haan, Logan Duncan, and Coletyn Jones-Trimper; wingers are Olivia Comer, Colby Winger, Coen Collins, Cameron Banks, Nick MacDonald, and Alexander Pyette .
Playing at home on Sunday, Jan. 28, the Mustangs won a see-saw game over Acadia #1 by an 8-5 score with Duncan leading the way with the hat-trick followed by den Haan with a brace, and singles from Jones-Trimper, Banks, and MacDonald. Jones-Trimper and Johnson chipped in with assists.
Earlier in the day in Kentville, with less than two minutes to play and trailing Acadia #2, the coaches pulled the goalie in favour of the extra attacker and with less than a minute to play Duncan tied it up 3-3 and the Mustangs continued the attack with Duncan driving home the winner with mere seconds to go on the clock for the well deserved 4-3 win.
Playing at home on Saturday, Jan. 27 in exhibition play, the Mustangs downed visiting Clare 9-0 with Dufresne picking up the shutout between the pipes. Speedy Logan Duncan potted four goals while the shifty Madex den Haan had the hat-trick -- with single goals from Colby Winger and Hannah Johnson who likes to romp up the ice from her left defence position. Den Haan, Johnson, and Cameron Banks collected assists.
Earlier in the day in Windsor the Mustangs defeated West Hants #2 by a score of 6-1. In their home tournament on January 21 and 22 the Mustangs won three and lost one to the eventual champions from Truro.
In the bronze medal game the Mustangs and West Hants Warriors battled to a 0-0 tie in the first period. The Warriors jumped into a 2-0 lead part way through the second before the Mustangs scored four straight goals and a tight 4-3 lead after two. In the second half of the third period the Mustangs potted four more for the 8-3 victory and bronze medals.
Den Haan notched four goals with Duncan and Jones-Trimper scoring two each.
The Jim Johnson-coached Mustangs play exciting hockey and often put their skills on display at Middleton and District Arena on Sundays from 4:15 to 5:30 p.m. unless scheduled for tournaments.
Come on out and cheer our youth on and don't forget your food order at the rink canteen.
Contributed by S Albert Johnson
