Ice Dawgs Lose Two in Season Opener Against Bozeman

The Glasgow boys put up a good fight in Bozeman on Nov. 21-22, but lost both games against a full compliment of 18 skaters and two goalies. The Dawgs struggled with 11 skaters and two goalies. Head Coach Tim Padden and Assistant Coach Mike Eliason hope to add two more skaters to the active roster as the season progresses. As things stood, Kaden Fossum, Grant Morken and Ethan Hartsock were unable to dress for the game.

“We came out of the games with some injuries,” explained Eliason, adding, “but that’s pretty normal. There weren’t any substantial injuries.”

The team started off strong Saturday morning. According to Padden, “During the first period, we played pretty well.” As play progressed, the game took a turn for the worse. “Fatigue settled in during the second period,” said Padden. “After that, things went downhill. We let down our guard and they were able to work the puck on us.”

The damage was contained somewhat toward the end of the first game. “We only had one goal scored [on us] in the third,” said Padden. The Dawgs’ first game of the season ended in a 9-0 loss, and game two on Sunday was a virtual repeat, with a final score of 12-0. Both men agreed penalties were an issue.

Eliason saw hope amid the losses: “The bright spot was our young guys.”

The coaches singled out the team’s goalies for praise. Sophomore Casey Mattfeldt had 51 saves on 60 shots. Freshman Colton Pewitt, who plays with the bantams as well, had 68 saves on 80 shots.

Moving forward, the team will focus on fundamentals, hoping to make the most of a young squad and train them for a positive future together. “We’ve got potential,” Padden commented. “We should be much more competitive against Havre.”

The odds should even out as the season progresses, and Glasgow faces teams of equal or lesser size. “We’re about in the middle of the pack,” said Eliason, referring to the squad’s relative size.

The team’s next matchup is against the Ice Hawks at home Dec. 4-5 at Valley Event Center.