The Sioux City Musketeers ventured 40 miles from downtown Moscow on Monday to play an exhibition contest against Vityaz Chekhov, a Russian junior club in the MHL, and dropped a 4-3 decision in the shootout.
It was the first game for the Musketeers after venturing to Russia over the weekend. The team jumped out early when Alex Rodriguez threw a puck on net that slipped past the Russian goaltender only 1:38 after the opening faceoff. Adam Johnson and Jake Ryczek collected assists on the play. Vityaz would tie the game late in the first period to make it 1-1 heading into the intermission.
The physical contest saw a lot of penalties and Sioux City took advantage of a power play chance midway through the second when Sam Kurker jammed in a rebound from a Neal Pionk shot from the point. Joe Snively also earned an assist on the power play tally. Vityaz would respond again later in the period to tie it, and then went ahead by a goal just three minutes later to make it 3-2 heading into the second intermission.
The third period was filled with penalties and both teams had their chances, but neither team could find the back of the net. Sioux City would not go away and made a rush late in the game to tie it when Robert “Bobo” Carpenter buried the equalizer with only 1:21 to play in regulation after Snively got the puck to the net.
The game went straight to the shootout where the Musketeers were stopped on all three attempts, but Vityaz converted on their third attempt to earn the victory.
Goaltender Collin Olson made the start for Sioux City and played half the contest before Cam Gornet finished out the game between the pipes.
The next game action for the Musketeers will be on August 22nd when they open play in the 2014 Junior Club World Cup in Ufa, Russia.
