The only time Bill Vandermeer had laced up a pair of game skates since Jan. 21 was for a short time on Feb. 28.
After an extended stay on the injured reserve list because of a bum ankle, Vandermeer returned to the ice Wednesday night in the Missouri Mavericks’ road game against the Allen Americans. Despite that boost, the Mavericks fell 5-2 to the Americans.
Vandermeer led the Mavericks with four shots but failed to find the back of the net in the penultimate game of the regular season for Missouri.
The Mavericks, who have already clinched a playoff spot, were looking to move into fourth place in the Central Hockey League’s Northern Conference with a win. Instead, they remain in fifth place, a point behind the Mississippi RiverKings, their first-round playoff opponent.
The Mavericks have one game remaining, a 7:05 p.m. contest at Bossier-Shreveport on Friday. Mississippi has two home games left against Tulsa on Friday and Saturday nights.
The Mavericks were unable to overcome a 2-0 first-period deficit to drop to 31-26-6 overall. Nino Musitelli scored both of those goals at the 12:50 and 17:14 marks. Musitelli later added a pair of assists to earn first-star honors.
Nick Sirota, who was named to the CHL All-Rookie squad on Tuesday, scored 4:52 into the second period on assists from Simon Watson and Jordan Foreman to cut the deficit in half entering the final period.
But Musitelli assisted on goals by Bruce Graham and Colton Yellow Horn in the first 7:19 of the third period to put it out of reach.
Jeff MacDermid tallied a power-play goal on an assist from Mike Burgoyne at the 11:12 mark of the third to cut it to 4-2.
But Tobias Whelan knocked in a rebound for an even-strength goal at 15:51 to set the final margin.
The Americans held the Mavericks to just 21 shots on goal while taking 32 themselves. Allen, the CHL’s other expansion team this season, improved to 41-16-5 and secured the No. 2 seed in the Southern Conference playoffs. Odessa (46-11-5) clinched the Southern Conference title with a 4-3 shootout win over Laredo Wednesday.
The Mavericks, if they stay at No. 5 in the Northern Conference, will host a playoff game against Mississippi at 7:05 p.m. Monday and then travel to Mississippi on March 24 and 25. If they take fourth place, they will travel to Mississippi Monday and then host playoff games on March 24 and 25.
WEDNESDAY’S SUMMARY
ALLEN AMERICANS 5, MISSOURI MAVERICKS 2
At Allen Event Center, Allen, Texas
