Squirrels 5, Southwest Airlines 2

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Battling with fewer players than usual Wednesday, the Screaming Squirrels won their fourth game in a row — 5-2 against Southwest Airlines — which sent them to second place in the standings.

Ed Bager got the scoring started 8 minutes into the game by connecting with Matt Borlik in front of the net. Bager returned the favor later in the period as he assisted on Borlik’s first goal. With less than a minute remaining in the period, Borlik collected a pass from Rob Myers and scored again.

In the second period, Ben Sumner put the Squirrels up 4-0 with shot that went through the crease to the far side of the net. Southwest Airlines finally answered with a goal late in the period.

In the third period, Southwest Airlines cut the lead to 4-2 with a power play goal. But minutes later, Bager scored again off a pass from Borlik, and the Squirrels held on for the rest of the game.

The Squirrels outshot Southwest Airlines, 41-12. Drew Thiemann made 10 saves in net.

Don Marks, Brian Jackson, Chris Long and Sergio Balatan missed the game for the Squirrels, who used four defensemen and seven forwards.

The next game is Sunday, February 26, at 2:15 p.m. against the Vikings, a team that is close behind the Squirrels in the standings.

Vikings 4, Squirrels 2

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Since the league rescheduled this game to Sunday afternoon, the Squirrels knew they would have a short bench reminiscent of last summer. Nine players showed up, but the Vikings had a few more substitutes, which made much of the difference in their 4-2 victory.

The Squirrels held their own for almost two periods, leading 2-1 up until the final moments of the second period. This was despite playing the first few minutes with six total skaters and no goaltender, and not getting a third substitute until almost two-thirds of the way through the game.

Midway through the first period, Ed Bager got the scoring started as he tapped in a pass from Matt Borlik off the face-off. The Vikings tied the game soon after. In the second period, Tony Richelson found himself on the breakaway, streaked across the middle and put the Squirrels up by one.

Late in the second period, the Vikings tied the game off of a fluke knuckler after the puck dropped for the face-off in the Squirrels’ zone. Less than a minute later, they scored again to take the lead, then scored once more in the final frame. Despite being short of breath, the Squirrels staged a final flurry but couldn’t score again.

Borlik, Bager, Phil Van der Vossen, Ben Sumner, Don Marks, Charles Wolstein, Desmond Richelson, Tony Richelson, and Drew Thiemann played for the Squirrels, who dropped to 11-5-1 on the season. The Squirrels outshot the Vikings, 21-14.

The next game is Thursday, March 9, at 10:30 against Dog Star in Resor.

Squirrels 6, Nordiques 5

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In what is now one of the biggest rivalries of the division, the Screaming Squirrels and the Nordiques faced off for the third time Sunday night, trading goals down to the final moments. This time, the Squirrels found a way to win, snatching a 6-5 victory by scoring three times in the third period.

The Squirrels knew that there was one guy in particular who they needed to shut down: The league’s leading scorer, Walt Bender Jr. They didn’t. But the Squirrels got a spark of their own from Don Marks, who hadn’t played in more than a month. Two minutes into the game, Marks took a centering pass from Tony Richelson, and knocked the puck in to get the scoring started.

Bender scored his first goal midway through the first period. Thirty seconds later, it appeared that the Squirrels went ahead as Ed Bager hit the puck in the net, but instead he was called for high-sticking and served a four-minute penalty. The Squirrels killed it, and then another minor, but gave up a goal just as the power-play expired in the final minute of the period.

The Nordiques and Squirrels traded two goals apiece in the middle frame. Matt Borlik tied the game on a power play, and Ben Sumner slid in a loose puck to give the Squirrels the lead. Then Bender took over, getting two more in the second period to put the Nordiques back ahead.

Brian Jackson took a major penalty late in the period, which carried over to the third period, but the Squirrels managed to kill it. Jackson then redeemed himself by scoring later in the period on another power play to tie the game. With two and a half minutes remaining, Marks whacked in another loose puck in front of the net to regain the lead. On the same line shift, Bager scored a much-needed insurance goal. The Nordiques got one back with a late flurry around the net, but the Squirrels held on to win.

Rob Myers, Sergio Balatan and Greg Wenograd missed the game for the Squirrels. Drew Thiemann faced 19 shots in net as the Squirrels posted 35. The Squirrels and Nordiques are now 1-1-1 head-to-head this season.

The next game is Wednesday, February 22, at 10 p.m. in Resor against Southwest Airlines.

Squirrels 10, Maryland Mutineers 0

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The Maryland Mutineers had beaten the Clippers a couple of weeks ago to get their first victory of the season. The Screaming Squirrels, riding a one-game winning streak themselves, took them on late Thursday night, winning 10-0 in front of a handful of spectators in the Resor rink.

Nine different Squirrels scored. Ben Sumner, Adam Hughes, Tony Richelson and Phil Van der Vossen hit the net in the first period. Brian Jackson, Greg Wenograd and Matt Borlik scored in the second period, and then the seven-goal running clock rule went into effect.

In the third period, the Squirrels shifted their defensemen to forwards and the first two forward lines to defense. Tony Richelson scored his second, Desi Richelson made several nifty moves to get his first of the season, and Drew Thiemann, playing defense instead of goaltender, netted his first as a Squirrel. The 10th goal ended the game three minutes early.

Backup goaltender Brian Rimm made three total saves in net to get the shutout. He wasn’t sure the Mutineers even had three shots, but was happy nonetheless. ôHOCKEY!!!!ö he screamed as he entered the locker room, soaking himself with a Bud Lite and claiming it was the best beer he ever had.

Don Marks and Sergio Balatan missed the game for the Squirrels. Jared Genser officially dropped off the team for the rest of the winter season, but hopes to return this summer. Chi Pham subbed on defense, notching four assists. Charles Wolstein and Sumner had three assists each. The Squirrels played with three full lines of both offense and defense for the first time in months, and put up 30 shots on goal.

The next game is February 12, at 10:10 p.m. against the Nordiques in the Logsdon rink. The Squirrels are 0-1-1 against the Nordiques this season.

Squirrels 5, Wrong Stuff 1

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After a two-week break, the Screaming Squirrels stormed onto the ice Sunday and scored four goals in the first period, and held on for a 5-1 victory against the Wrong Stuff.

Chris Long put in a rebound two minutes into the game on an early power play. Matt Borlik scored five minutes later, and Tony Richelson, double-shifting on right wing, scored on a breakaway. Rob Myers got the last goal of the period to give the Squirrels a comfortable lead.

Despite outplaying the Wrong Stuff in the second period, the Squirrels couldn’t get any shots to fall, and eventually gave up a breakaway goal.

Ben Sumner scored late in the third period on a four-on four. Tony Richelson finished the game with a goal and two assists. The Squirrels outshot the Wrong Stuff, 25-17, as Drew Thiemann made 16 saves in net.

The Squirrels played without Don Marks, Greg Wenograd, Brian Jackson, Sergio Balatan and Jared Genser. Chi Pham subbed on defense.

The next game is Thursday, Jan. 26, at 10:30 against the Maryland Mutineers in Resor.