On Monday night the league leading Toronto Shooting Stars took on the Durham TurfDogs. The Stars looked to finish their busy weekend with a third win and solidify their place in first while Durham needed to get a win to pull ahead of Brampton into fourth place.
Toronto got off to a hot start in this game as Mack O’Brien scored four minutes into the first quarter. Durham would quickly respond as John St. John found the back of the net to make it a 1-1 game. Toronto though would go on a scoring run to end the first in what has been a signature for this team all year. The Stars would score three unanswered goals to take a 4-1 lead at the end of the first.
In the second quarter the Stars kept their foot on the gas as Josh Wasson-Quigge scored on the power play to make it 5-1 Toronto. The TurfDogs would show their teeth though as Eric Bissell would score to make it 5-2. Toronto would answer back on a goal from Derek Hopcraft making it 6-2. The TurfDogs would end the quarter scoring two consecutive goals to make the score 6-4 at half.
The TurfDogs would keep their momentum going in the third quarter as Mack Johnson scored to pull the Dogs within one. The Stars would have none of it though as Brad Levick and Mack O’Brien would score to secure the Toronto lead making the score 8-5. Durham would continue to fight as Clare Donnelly and Shane Scott would score in order to once again make it a one goal game. Toronto once again though had the answer as Geoff Griffiths scored to make it 9-7 at the end of the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter the TurfDogs would keep fighting but could not beat Gary Muzzin who made 10 of his 40 saves in the fourth. The Stars would add two more goals to take the victory 11-7.
The TurfDogs put up a good fight in this game but Muzzin was able to shut them down in the fourth. The TurfDogs were led by Clare Donnelly who had 3 points on the night while Eric Bissell and John St.John each had two points.
The Stars had the response for everything that the TurfDogs could throw at them tonight as they would lead the whole game and every time Durham got close the Stars were able to pull away. The Stars were led by Mack O’Brien who had a hat trick and two assists to lead the team. This win was Toronto’s fourth in a row and with it they now sit securely on top of the CLAX standings.
