KC Mavericks update: Starrett’s Saturday shutout highlights sizzling week for Mavs
The Kansas City Mavericks are coming off one of the strongest weeks of their season: They went 3-0-0 against division-rival Wichita, buoyed by a pair of huge individual performances.
Tuesday at Cable Dahmer Arena, the Mavericks relied on a second-period breakout en route to a 5-1 victory. After a scoreless opening frame, Hugo Roy, Pascal Laberge and Jake McLaughlin scored three goals to essentially put the Mavericks in the victory column.
For Laberge, it was his fifth straight game with a point; McLaughlin’s goal was his first in a Mavericks uniform after spending a portion of the season in the AHL. KC put the game away in the final period, with goals from Ryan Harrison and alternate captain Joshua Lammon.
A visit to Wichita on Friday was next on the schedule and the Mavericks picked up right where they left off. Jeremy McKenna put KC on the board 32 seconds into the contest for his first goal since returning from a spell in the AHL. Luke Stevens followed with a goal midway through the first before Wichita scored a few minutes later.
The Thunder equalized early in the second before Hugo Roy recorded a goal in his third straight game. After more than 30 minutes without a goal, the Thunder tied the game 3-3 late in the third period to force overtime.
Roy sent the Mavs back up I-35 with a 4-3 overtime victory thanks to his second goal of the contest and 10th of the season.
The teams met for a third time in five days Saturday night. It was one of the more eventful games of the season, with a combined 110 penalty minutes.
All of the scoring came in the second period, where it was Roy followed by captain Nick Pastujov and McKenna for a 3-0 lead. It was Pastujov’s first goal since returning from a 15-game injury absence. Roy’s goal gave him four straight with a goal and five goals in those four games.
The highlight of Saturday’s win was goaltender Shane Starrett, who recorded his second shutout of the season after saving all 24 of Wichita’s shots on goal. Starrett has been one of the ECHL’s hottest goaltenders over the last week-plus, with a 1.87 goals-against average over his last five games.
The Mavericks have won four straight for the first time since March 2021 and trail Wichita by five points for second place in the division with 27 games remaining in the regular season.
The Mavericks (22-18-5, 49 points) are currently in third place in the Mountain Division.
LABERGE PLAYER OF WEEK
Pascal Laberge won ECHL Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 30-Feb. 6. The Quebec native had three goals and six assists during the team’s four-game road trip. Laberge is the third Mavericks player to win a weekly award, joining McKenna and Starrett earlier in the year.
NEXT UP
The Mavs have one of their most important weeks of the season ahead as they host the ECHL-leading Idaho Steelheads on Friday and Saturday. Saturday is the Mavericks Miracle on Ice Night — the team will wear USA-themed jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game.
For seats to Mavericks home games, visit kcmavericks.com or call 816-252-7825.