Musketeers Finish The Force On Thursday Night
January 11, 2019 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Sioux City Musketeers News Release
FARGO, ND - The Musketeers returned to Fargo on Thursday night for the first game of back to back matchups against the Force. Thursday's game was a makeup game after bad weather back in late December prevented Sioux City from making the trip up north. Thankfully the Musketeers would make up for it with two valuable points in a 3-1 victory.
Things started slowly in the 1st period which is to be expected in the sixth matchup between two teams that have come to know each other's game well. Sioux City was hoping to get their offense firing on all cylinders with the return of Martin Pospisil to his usual spot centering the top line. Pospisil had been gone since the Christmas break representing his home country of Slovakia at the World Junior Championships. The Force managed to keep Pospisil quiet in the 1st period, but they could not hold off the Musketeers for the whole frame.
The Musketeers would get a powerplay opportunity just under 7 minutes into the period after Hank Crone was called for tripping. With just 15 seconds left on the man advantage, Matt Miller found Nolan Krenzen with a centering pass and Krenzen buried it for his first goal of the season.
Neither team could find the back of the net the rest of the period sending the Musketeers to the locker room with a 1-0 lead.
Sioux City came out strong in the 2nd period and extended their lead just over two minutes into the frame. An initial shot by Anthony Kehrer deflected off the goal post and bounced back between the legs of Fargo goaltender Ryan Bischel and right to the stick of Matt Miller. Miller, who committed to the University of Nebraska Omaha earlier this week, slammed the puck home to give the Musketeers a 2-0 lead. Kehrer and Luke Johnson had the assists on the play.
That would be all the offense for the Musketeers in the 2nd period. Ben Kraws stepped up to make a couple of key saves to keep the Force off the board and send his team back to the locker room with a 2-0 lead.
The Musketeers would once again strike first in the 3rd period thanks to the persistence of Marcus Kallionkieli. Kallionkieli took an initial shot from the slot that was denied by Bischel. Martin Pospisil crashed the net and created enough havoc for Kallionkieli to sneak skate in close and jam home the rebound to give the Musketeers a 3-0 lead. Pospisil and Ian Malcolmson had the assists on the goal.
It would take almost the entire period but Fargo would final managed to get one past Ben Kraws. AJ Drobot drove home a rebound attempt with just under 5 minutes to play to cut the Force deficit to two but that would be all Fargo could muster. Final score 3-1 Sioux City.
In all Kraws made 25 saves on 26 shots while Bischel stopped 27 of 30 thrown his way. The Musketeers and Force go at it again tomorrow at 7:05 pm in Fargo. Don't forget you can catch the action live at Castle Pub!
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