Squirrels 5, Laughing Skulls 3

In what seemed like a far more even game than the final scoresheet said, the Squirrels held on for a 5-3 win against Laughing Skulls on Thursday, to start the season 2-0.

Mike Bartock got the scoring started for the Squirrels in the first period, and then a Mario Constantinou slapshot was deflected in by Brent Machado for a 2-0 Squirrels lead after the first period.

The Laughing Skulls scored to pull within one before Constantinou got the Squirrels their two-goal lead back. Five minutes later, a gaffe by the Skulls goalie led to Bob Valdes’s goal, making it 4-1.

The Skulls, however, scored two goals within a minute, cutting the Squirrels’ lead to 4-3 going into the third period.

The Squirrels, however, buckled down, and Machado scored his second of the game, again from Constantinou. With two minutes remaining, the Skulls took a penalty, taking away their momentum in the final stretch.

The Squirrels more than doubled up the Skulls in shots, 40-19. New Squirrel Jason Wolf made his debut.