Recapping a busy week for the Kansas City Mavericks, including a milestone assist

The Kansas City Mavericks (8-3-0-1) have wrapped up an intense two weeks — filled with tough battles and strong performances — ahead of a difficult upcoming 10-game stretch.

Here’s a look at the team’s recent performances...

On the road in Rapid City

The Mavericks kicked things off with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Rapid City Rush on November 6.

Kansas City jumped to an early lead in the first period, with the second line of David Cotton, Jackson Berezowski and Damien Giroux each finding the net. The Mavericks held off Rapid City’s comeback attempt, sealing the win with steady defense and a standout goaltending performance from Victor Ostman, who stopped 29 of 31 shots.

Then, the Mavericks edged out Rapid City again in a 4-3 shootout victory on Nov. 8. Berezowski and Casey Carreau scored key goals to keep Kansas City in contention, with Carreau ultimately clinching the win in a shootout. Ostman made 24 saves to keep the Mavericks in the game and secure the two points.

Kansas City’s winning streak ended on November 9 in Rapid City, where the Mavericks fell 5-2 despite a 34-22 shot advantage. Despite early goals from KC’s Carreau and Landon McCallum, the Rush capitalized on defensive errors and an own goal late in the game to pull away.

KC Mavericks’ Annual Kids Day Game

The annual “Kids Day Game” against the Iowa Heartlanders on November 12 brought in one of the largest crowds in Mavericks history — 5,608 excited young hockey fans — to Cable Dahmer Arena a week ago Tuesday.

Despite Iowa’s early 4-0 lead, Kansas City rallied in the second period with three quick goals from Carreau, Berezowski and Giroux, thrilling the young crowd and narrowing the deficit to 4-3. However, a third-period goal from Iowa’s Gavin Hain sealed the Heartlanders’ 5-3 win.

Two crucial games vs. Wichita; Crawford’s milestone assist

Back on the road on November 13, the Mavericks faced the Wichita Thunder in an overtime showdown. Tied 3-3 after regulation, Charlie Wright scored his first ECHL goal in overtime, making Mavericks history as the first player to win a game with his first professional goal.

With key contributions from Cade Borchardt, who scored twice, and David Noël, the Mavericks secured the 4-3 victory in front of a Kids Day crowd in Wichita.

Rounding out the week, the Mavericks clinched a gritty 2-0 win over the Thunder on November 17 at Cable Dahmer Arena. Bradley Schoonbaert opened the scoring in the second period with his first goal of the season, and Noël sealed the game with an empty-netter.

Jack LaFontaine’s stellar performance in net, stopping all 24 shots, helped secure the shutout win, his second of the season. With his assist on the Schoonbaert goal, Marcus Crawford moved into fourth place on the Mavericks’ franchise assists leaderboard, achieving 80 for his career.

Mac’s Power Play Reading Club visit

Off the ice, the Mavericks have been making waves in the community with Mac’s Power Play Reading Club. On November 15, the team visited William Yates Elementary to honor fifth-grade teacher Madison Boynton’s class as the October Top Classroom of the Month. The class logged an incredible 37,610 minutes of reading time, with top reader Willow clocking 6,159 minutes herself.

Mavericks forwards Giroux and McCallum joined students for the day. When asked about life lessons from hockey, Giroux emphasized perseverance: “You’re never really failing; you just have to show up every day and give it your best.”

Giroux encouraged the students to find joy in their goals, adding: “When you have fun, everything works itself out.”

McCallum, who has been on the ice since age 3, also shared personal insights on overcoming challenges and staying positive.

This reading initiative, involving more than 3,200 kids from 60 schools, aims to cultivate a love for books among young fans across Kansas City. Each month, top classrooms receive visits from Mac the mascot and Mavericks players, who celebrate the students’ accomplishments and sign autographs in hopes of inspiring young readers to continue achieving their reading goals.

On the KC Mavericks schedule...

After back-to-back wins, the Mavericks now hit the road, facing the Tahoe Knight Monsters in a three-game series starting on November 20. The Mavericks will aim to stay at the top of the Mountain Division.