Casey McDonald apparently wanted nothing to do with a losing streak heading into the Christmas break.
McDonald scored five goals, including the overtime winner, as the Moose Jaw Generals took a 5-4 overtime win over the Beardy's Blackhawks at Mosaic Place on Sunday, Dec. 16, breaking a five-game losing skid to head into the holiday pause on a positive note.
“It's important for our confidence getting back in the win column, especially since we're heading into the break,” McDonald said.
“It's been tough on us but it's awesome to get this one out of the way and get back on track... for the most part we've stayed positive, though, and we just have to keep working. Now if we can get on a bit of a run here after Christmas, hopefully we can get back into a playoff spot.”
The Generals currently hold an 8-17-2-1 record, nine points back of eighth-place Beardy's for the final playoff spot.
Moose Jaw led 4-1 at one point against the Blackhawks – with all four goals coming off McDonald's stick, including two on the power play – before Beardy's battled with a pair of markers late in the second before tying the game 12:53 into the third.
That set the stage for overtime, where McDonald scored at the 2:14 mark on assists from Jonah Regier and Jake Palmer.
Moose Jaw was coming off a 2-0 loss to Swift Current a night earlier in a game head coach Ray Wareham felt was one of their best outings of the season.
“We hit four or five posts and their goalie played well for them, so we were right in it and didn't get a break,” Wareham said. “Tonight we didn't have the same energy but we got the 4-1 lead and then fell asleep a little bit. But they kept their heads up, even on that bad break in the third period. They could have easily packed it in but they kept going. I'm really happy for the guys.”Jaxson Taupert made 32 saves in the win over Beardy's, Reece Hodson stopped 24 shots in the shutout loss in Swift Current.
The Generals are back in action Saturday, Jan. 5 when they travel to Prince Albert to face the Mintos.
