DAN CEARNS The Standard
SCUGOG: The Port Perry MoJacks lost a hard fought game against the Lakefield Chiefs in their lone weekend action. The MoJacks game in Little Britain against the Merchants scheduled for Saturday, January 18th was postponed, because of heavy snowfall. So the MoJacks came into a matchup with the Chiefs on Sunday, January 19th on home ice at Scugog Arena looking to parlay the extra day’s rest into a victory. A little over a minute and a half into the first period, two MoJacks found themselves on a two-on-one rush. Justin Jacobs passed the puck to Owen Hurtibese who put it in the open corner of the Lakefield net, giving Port Perry an early 1 to 0 lead. Late in the period, the Chiefs took advantage of a power play, tying the game 1 to 1. The Chiefs were able to get another power play goal a little over four and a half minutes into the second frame, and Port Perry trailed for the first time in the game 2 to 1. With less than four minutes remaining in the period, Hurtibese was able to get the puck just past the Lakefield goalie on a Port Perry power play, drawing the game back even 2 to 2. the Chiefs responded with a goal, with about two minutes left, and the MoJacks trailed again 3 to 2. Jacobs scored, in dramatic fashion, with 21.4 seconds left, and the period ended with a 3 to 3 tie. The game remained as such, until late in the third period. The Chiefs scored twice in the last minute and a half of the game, including an empty net goal. The MoJacks lost 5 to 3. MoJacks goalie Corey Kuypers turned away 54 of the 58 shots he faced in the losing effort. After the game, MoJacks assistant coach Patrick Jobb talked about the positive take aways from the close game. “We worked hard, we battled, [the game was] 3 to 3 with a minute and a half left in the game against a top team in the league, so we played well,”.
One Timers: – The Standard has confirmed head coach Tom Boyle has left the team. “Tom Boyle stepped away from [the team.] [He] decided things weren’t going right, and [he] had lost players’ interest, and so he stepped down a couple weeks ago. Patrick Jobb and Jeff St. Pierre are taking over,” MoJacks general manager Murray Parliament told The Standard. He also stated they will decide on the coaching staff after the regular season is over. – The MoJacks will have a rare Wednesday home game at Scugog Arena on January 22nd against the Campbellford Rebels at 7:50 p.m., making up for the game that was postponed in December. – It will be a rivalry weekend for the MoJacks as they have a home-and-home series with the Uxbridge Bruins. The MoJacks will be in enemy territory in Uxbridge on Friday, January 24th at 7:45 p.m. They will face the Bruins for the final time this season at Scugog Arena on Sunday, January 26th at 2:25 p.m.