Briana Shymanski/Rocky View Publishing

Chestermere Laker Kristian Reimer heads up field and tries to evade his George McDougall opponent. The Mustangs and the Lakers played to a 1-1 tie, May 8, in Chestermere.

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Mustangs tie Lakers

A late game penalty kick foiled the George McDougall Mustangs’ bid for a second straight win as they tied the Chestermere Lakers 1-1, May 8.

“It’s disappointing,” said Mustangs head coach Brian DeGiuseppe. “I think we controlled a good chunk of the play and to have a tie is disappointing for the guys.”

The Mustangs struck first midway through the first half on a goal by Mitchell Kreis and Chestermere’s best chance came on a shot by Kristian Reimer that Mustangs keeper Kyle Madsen made an easy save on.

The Mustangs took control of the game late in the first half and carried that momentum into the second half when Nash Hayward sent a shot from the crease just over the Lakers’ net.

The Mustangs continued to pepper Lakers’ keeper Johnny Nguyen with two point blank shots, one that Nguyen punched out and one that was blocked by a defender. At the other end of the field, Madsen also had a solid game, diving on a shot that snuck past a screen in front of the net.

However, a few minutes later a shot by the Lakers clipped a Mustangs defender in the box, giving the Lakers a penalty kick. Kristian Reimer would score on the shot, tying the game at one, which would end up as the final score.

“(The Lakers’) goal was frustrating,” said DeGiuseppe. “The ref made his call and that’s the way it is, but when you’re playing with a one-goal lead you don’t allow yourself to recover from goals like that. We have to work on our finishing. We can’t hold the game at 1-0 for 60 or 70 minutes and then let in a goal in a game we should’ve won.”

The game was tightly called, which seemed to stymie the momentum for both teams, and DeGiuseppe said that it factored into the Mustangs’ play.

“The guys let it get to them more than it should’ve,” he said.

“The bottom line is that you have to get your head back in the game and you can’t let it frustrate you.”

For the Lakers, it was their second tie in as many games. While they had been hoping for a win, a tie was the next best thing.

“We were down again just like last game and came out with one point, so we’re happy about that,” said Lakers’ head coach Gary Mitschke. “We had a lot of pressure on them and they had some good defence. Our centrebacks were playing really well, clearing it out to the sides, but we need to work more on our possession and we need lots more communication.”

Despite giving up the late goal, DeDiuseppe was otherwise happy with how the team played, specifically on the back end.

“Defensively, we played great,” he said.

“We really limited the opportunities they didn’t have. We just need to make smarter passes, hit the open guy and put the ball in the back of the net.”

George McDougall hosted Bow Valley on May 10. Results were not available at press time.