RIO RANCHO, N.M. — The Ogden Mustangs snapped a seven-game losing streak and started off a 12-game road trip with a win against the New Mexico Renegades last Friday.
The Mustangs went on to fall 4-1 on Saturday but claimed a heartstopping 3-2 win over the Renegades on Sunday to capture their first Western States Hockey League series in team history.
On Sunday morning, the Mustangs got a pair of goals in the first period from Kody Rodriguez and Kevin Collins. But after New Mexico battled back to knot the score, Rodriguez's unassisted goal late in the contest proved to be the game-winner.
Mustangs goalie Alex Glockner was busy on Sunday, stopping 50 shots. Ogden was outshot 52-31 in the game.
In Friday’s game, Ogden came back from a 2-1 deficit early in the second period to score four-straight goals before the end of the frame and take control of the game. Alex Pizarro led the Mustangs with 2 goals and 3 assists in the 7-5 victory. Four Ogden players had four points each.
“The guys gave a really, really strong effort,” said Ogden coach Devin Firl. “We were able to really bear down and put the puck in the net. It was a high-scoring affair, and it wasn’t real pretty, but a win’s a win.”
On Saturday, the Mustangs started the game off with a bang when Jan Vcislak scored just 24 seconds into the first period. That would be the only time Ogden found the back of the net for the remainder of the game, giving up two Renegade powerplay goals and falling 4-1.
Firl said he’d like to see his team firm up some sloppy neutral-zone and defensive-zone play. The Mustangs were outshot 41-38, 45-41 and 52-31 last weekend. Only one other team in the Western States Hockey League has given up more shots this season than the Mustangs.
“We’ve just got to help out our goalie,” Firl said. “We’re getting a little too comfortable relying on Alex. We’ve got to play with more heart and more passion in front of him. That’s what this game’s all about.”
The Mustangs have road trips to face the Dallas Ice Jets, Cheyenne Stampede and Boulder Bison before their next home games Dec. 2 and 3.
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