MAVERICKS OPEN SEASON WITH 2-1 WIN OVER KILLER BEES
Effinger stops 29 of 30 in first win of season
HIDALGO, Texas – The Missouri Mavericks opened up their third season in the Central Hockey League (CHL) with a 2-1 win over the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas. Mavericks’ goaltender Charlie Effinger stopped 29 of 30 shots in his first win of the season, and rookie Kris Hogg unlocked a 1-1 tie with just over four minutes remaining in the game to give the Mavericks the win. The Bees and Mavericks will square off again Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. at State Farm Arena.
Boxscore
“Some of the guys new to the lineup came up huge tonight,” said Mavericks’ Head Coach Scott Hillman. “Kris Hogg had a great game-winning goal with McGrane driving the net as a distraction. The game was a real tester for the first night, everyone stuck together, and although we made a lot of mistakes, we still found a way to win.”
The Mavericks killed an early penalty to Ryan Jardine and quickly scored the first goal of the season soon after. Newcomer Dale Mahovsky took a pass from John-Scott Dickson who was behind the net and Mahovsky buried the puck past Bees' goaltender John Murray at the 3:24 mark. Mavericks’ forward Nathan O’Nabigon earned the second assist on the play.
Rio Grande Valley quickly answered back when Zac Pearson beat Effinger his only goal against at the 5:15 mark of the first. Tomas Klempa and Ryan Jorde assisted on the play.
For the next 50-plus minutes the teams traded chances but neither was able to light the lamp until Hogg’s goal at the 15:54 mark of the third period. Hogg took advantage of a Killer Bee turnover and netted his first professional goal to give the Mavericks a 2-1 victory.
The Mavericks are now 2-1-0 in home openers and 1-1-0 on road openers.
Missouri will take on the Bees again Saturday night at State Farm Arena at 7:30 p.m.