LOCKPORT, Ill. – This past week’s action across all three Metro Jets teams did not yield the results the organization has come to know over the years.
The Jets were swept in a home-and-home series by the Toledo Cherokee, who claimed the Coney Cup as season champions, while the MJDP took five of six points on the road against the Chicago Crush and the Jets Elite managed a shootout win over the Crush.
The action started Wednesday as the Jets Elite team defeated the Motor City Gamblers 4-3 in a shootout from Big Boy Arena in nearby Fraser.
Goaltender Aiden Binkley earned his first junior hockey win with 15 saves.
Graysen LaPrise scored two goals and Tyler Dix posted the other.
Friday night back at Mount Clemens Ice Arena, Toledo defeated the Jets 4-2.
Owen Coulter and AJ Zaccagni scored for the Jets and Evan Peacock stopped 33 shots in goal.
Then in the rematch Saturday night at the Team Toledo IceHouse, goaltender Jakub Obzera made 34 saves as the Jets lost 4-3 in a shootout.
Joel Paterson, Aidan Charron and Ayden Hartzell scored in regulation for the Jets.
“It’s disappointing,” Jets associate head coach Jamie Lovell. “We had a very good opportunity this weekend to separate ourselves from the pack and we couldn’t take advantage. Very inconsistent in a lot of areas and it’s frustrating because these are all things that we have addressed each week during practices, skills sessions and video.
“We need to develop more of a ‘hate to lose’ mentality but it seems to be taking a little longer for this group to develop than in years past.”
The MJDP and Jets Elite teams played in the new Summit Ice & Sports Complex in suburban Chicago, each playing the Crush in a three-game series.
Friday night, Clovis Gamelin and Donald Pratt scored and Arnaud Paradis made 24 saves in a 3-2 shootout loss.
Daniell Luska then tallied the overtime winner Saturday night in a 3-2 victory.
Lucas Benavides-Forte and Blake Brackett also scored and Cam Cyrus stopped 21 shots between the pipes.
Sunday night, Caleb Curto and Noah Bodurka scored and Cyrus turned aside 20 shots in a 2-1 win.
“Excellent weekend for this group going on the road and getting five out of six points,” Jets associate coach Jake Howie said. “It was a very physical and hard-fought weekend, but props to our guys just battling through and finding a way to win games. Ultimately, I thought we were the better team and carried the play most of the weekend, so it’s good to see the guys get rewarded for their work.”
The Jets Elite started the Windy City trip with a 2-1 shootout win Friday night.
LaPrise scored the lone regulation goal and Brendan Dreisbach made 31 saves in net.
Then Saturday afternoon, Chicago took a 3-1 win.
Carson Stomp scored the Jets’ only goal and Dreisbach finished with 27 saves.
In the finale Sunday afternoon, the Crush won 3-1 again.
Donald Pratt recorded the Jets’ goal and Paradis kicked out 29 shots.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Jets at Cincinnati, Friday, 7:10 p.m., Queen City Sportsplex
MJDP at Chicago T-Rex, Friday, 6:30 p.m. CDT, Summit Ice & Sports Complex
MJDP at Chicago T-Rex, Saturday, 6 p.m. CDT, Summit Ice & Sports Complex
MJDP at Chicago T-Rex, Sunday, 1 p.m. CDT, Summit Ice & Sports Complex
Jets Elite at Chicago T-Rex, Friday, 4 p.m. CDT. Summit Ice & Sports Complex
Jets Elite at Chicago T-Rex, Saturday, 3:30 p.m. CDT. Summit Ice & Sports Complex
Jets Elite at Chicago T-Rex, Sunday, 10:30 a.m. CDT. Summit Ice & Sports Complex
For more, visit MetroJetsHockey.com and follow the Jets on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok!
Photo/Sara Vasseur
