The Mesquite Colts handily beat a strong Keller team in their game opener on Sunday, Oct. 4 by a score of 4-2. Senior goalie Paul Hinojo (shown at left) delivered 19 saves on 21 shots, looking exceedingly strong in net for the Colts, while junior Coby Benson racked up two goals and one assist to end as league point leader with 3 after the first week of play.
Assistant Captain Tanner Holubar gets credit for the first goal of the season, when he grabbed a rebound off a shot by Benson to put the Colts on the board mid way through the first period. Keller answered back three minutes later with a passing play leading to a goal by Keller's Andrew Hoefer, but the Keller team had already begun a pattern of penalty trouble that would leave them short-handed as they entered the second period.
The Colts entered the second period with renewed energy and speed. Particularly impressive were Matthew Jenkins and Adrian Hall in the aggressive play and willingness to tangle with a physical Keller team. Troubles for Keller continued, as Keller's Kyle Lewis got called for tripping just 18 seconds in and joined his teammate Haydon Hammonds in the box. A few seconds later, assistant captain Justin Ivy schooled the Keller team, taking a pass to the point from Ethan Fox, and firing off a shot that tipped off a Keller defenseman's stick to go top shelf to put the Colts 2-1 with a powerplay goal.
The battle on the ice grew increasingly physical during the second period. Colts Captain Ethan Fox, who found himself tied up by a swarm of Keller cover all night long, got called for roughing as he pushed his way out of the masses, then Keller's Lewis went right back to the box for a second tripping penalty almost immediately upon his return to the ice. Jamal Holland of Keller also got his second penalty of the game during the second period. Despite the battling, Keller got off numerous shots during the period and pressured the goal, but all attempts were denied by a perfectly tuned Hinojo. With less than three minutes in the second, Benson took a well-timed pass from junior Cody Hanson to score and put the ponies up 3-1. A hooking charge on the Colts Nick Adams left the team short-handed as they entered the third period, but the Hanson to Benson pass play worked once again, making it 4-1with short hands 30 seconds into the third.
Keller's Brent Rector answered Benson's second goal quickly with a powerplay goal, bringing it to 4-2, but the Keller team had nothing left. Colts dominated puck control throughout the third, as both goalies had perfect stats over the last 8 minutes of game play. The Colts got off a total of 16 shots on Keller goalie Brian Crawford.
In summary, the Colts played a good, clean, aggressive hockey game. Keller didn't do itself any favors with 12 penalty minutes to the Colts six, and Colts goalie Paul Hinojo was on fire. Rookie Colts players showed what awesome additions they will be to the team. Rookies playing their first game in a Colts jersey included John Wayne Seiztler, Dalton Watkins, Cody Richardson, Matthew Jenkin, Brian Hall and Adrian Hall.
Former Colts hockey coach Marty Winn was on hand to watch the game (you can take Marty out of the Colts, but you can't take the Colts out of Marty), and he commented post-game on his extreme satisfaction at how they played against a tough Keller team. "They looked good. Not only the ones you expect to play well, but all of them," he said, adding how impressed he had been with some of the smaller, younger players on the team.
New Head Coach Dennis Hall racks up his first win and can be proud of how his team performed during their opening game. For complete stats, visit Pointstreak.
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