/MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. — It was a light schedule for the Metro Jets, MJDP and Metro Jets Elite teams over the past few days as just four games were played between the three squads.
Kicking off the action Wednesday afternoon at Big Boy Arena in nearby Fraser, the Jets Elite used three goals and an assist from Landon Graham and 24 saves from Tabor Hatch to take a 6-2 win over the Motor City Gamblers.
Cory Anderson added a goal and an assist and Cam Maxwell and Tyler Dix also scored.
For the Gamblers, Kibwe Weaver and Carl Mujagic scored and goalie Tyler Houle made 39 saves.
Then Thursday afternoon at Mount Clemens Ice Arena, the Jets Elite team took a 4-1 lead into the third period but lost 5-4 to the Fort Wayne Spacemen.
Dix scored two more goals and Jarrett LaGrow and Owen Coulter added one each. Anderson chipped in two assists and goalie Cam Cyrus made 36 saves.
For Fort Wayne, Robert Gross scored twice, while Orlando Soergel went for a goal and an assist and Landyn Ringenberg and Colin Robison recorded one goal apiece.
Will Moynahan tacked on three assists and Austin Schaertel made 29 saves in goal.
“I thought the effort could have been a little bit better,” said Jets associate coach Danny Vanderwiel. “Happy to get the two points. Still some things we need to tighten up here in the final stretch.”
Also Wednesday in Fraser, the MJDP team beat Motor City 7-1 behind two goals from Clovis Gamelin and a 39-save performance between the pipes from Ethan Carlone.
Max Rastello had a goal and an assist, Chase Martin tacked on two assists, and William Lobanov, Alessandro Evangelista, Jacob Belley-Pelletier and Chris Kobayashi added goals of their own.
Braeden Goers scored the Gamblers’ goal and goaltender Galvin Reagan finished with 52 saves.
“The development program played a complete game today,” Jets associate coach Jake Howie said. “Hockey is a game of mistakes and don’t get me wrong, we had our breakdowns, but we recovered well and fixed our mistakes. It was nice having all 21 guys pulling on the rope and I thought it was a full team effort to get the job done today. And it’s really nice to see a bit of an offensive surge in the last few games.
“I really like the way we’re playing going into the home stretch before the playoffs.”
Finishing up the weekend at home Friday afternoon, the Jets defeated the Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones 8-0 as Jack Noonan went for the hat trick and two assists and Andrew Parmentier and Rostislav Efremov combined on a 20-save shutout in goal.
Luka Pivec had a goal and two assists and Harry Dembowski, Jack Schnur, Pierce Ashcroft and Sutton Majeske tallied one each to go along with two assists from AJ Zaccagni.
Cincinnati goaltenders Caleb Whitson and Nicholas Wah made 45 saves.
“There was an incredible difference between tonight’s game and last Sunday’s game in every aspect,” said Jets associate head coach Jamie Lovell. “Despite winning last weekend, we were not happy with how we played, but tonight was a very good response from our group. Our execution was on point. Our decisions with the puck were quick and almost every time, the correct one.
“I think the players wanted to make a statement to the staff that last weekend was an anomaly and what we saw here tonight from them is more to their identity as players and as a team. They were hungry to score and when they lost the puck, they wanted it back immediately, not even letting Cincinnati get out of their zone with possession.
“It was fun to watch from behind the bench and if we continue like this, we will be a tough team to beat and our players will be receiving plenty of attention from schools at the next level.”
Next week, the Jets Elite and MJDP teams are on the road to play the Chicago Cougars. The Elite plays Friday at noon Central from the Edge Ice Arena and Saturday at 4:15 p.m. from Triphahn Arena. The MJDP skates Friday at 4 p.m. Central from the Edge Ice Arena and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. from Triphahn Arena.
The Jets host the Fresh Coast Freeze Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. before heading to Griff’s Ice House West in Holland Friday at 4:30 p.m.
All USPHL games are available on FloHockey.tv.
