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Weekend Recap: The County’s Team Battles Hard at Home
Entering the weekend, the Northern Maine Pioneers stood at 4–4 on the season and were riding a three-game winning streak against divisional opponents. The County came out in full force Friday evening at the Forum — and they weren’t disappointed.
The Pioneers came out flying right from puck drop. It was a hard-hitting, fast-paced first half of the game, with Russian netminder Murat Shiyamov putting on an absolute show between the pipes. He finished the night with 38 saves, many of them acrobatic, leaving fans in awe and asking, “How did he stop that?”
The Islanders struck first midway through the second period, but in true County spirit, the Pioneers responded. Gavin Elkins buried a beauty off a feed from Karl Strindberg to tie things up. The Islanders regained the lead late in the second and headed into the third up 2–1.
After a talk from Coach Lowry between periods, the Pioneers came out buzzing, generating several strong chances. Despite their push, the Islanders managed to hold off the comeback, adding two empty-netters to seal a 4–1 win. Though the loss was tough, the Pioneers left the ice with heads held high — competing stride for stride with one of the league’s top teams and expected championship contenders.
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Saturday: A Test of Grit
Saturday night brought another challenge as the Cyclones from Southern New Hampshire rolled into town. Once again, Shiyamov stole the show early, making 25 saves on 27 first-period shots in a goaltending performance that rivaled a Ringling Brothers act for sheer acrobatics.
Despite the pressure, the Pioneers kept battling. Hudson Maro lit the lamp with an ESPN-worthy highlight goal, assisted by Gabe Eckdahl, giving the crowd something to roar about. Ultimately, the Cyclones’ depth proved too much as they skated away with a 6–1 win.
While the scoreboard didn’t favor The County this time, it was a weekend that built character — two hard-fought battles against elite competition.
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Looking Ahead
The Pioneers close out October with a 4–6 record and will be back on home ice next Sunday at 7:15 PM at the Forum. Come out and show your County pride as the boys look to get back to their winning ways!