With three teams battling for first place down the stretch, the Screaming Squirrels need every point they can get and didn’t let up against Mors ab Alto in a 10-0 slaughter on Tuesday.

Chris Wautel scored three goals, Jeff Ford, Ben Sumner and Rob Myers each had two, and Chris Long netted the tenth to put Mors ab Alto out of their misery five minutes early. Mors goaltender Ryan Meeks still made 41 saves despite giving up ten goals, while Bob Sewell relaxed in net with his squeaky toy Squirrel and is credited with a one-save shutout.

The Squirrels played without Matt Borlik, Don Marks, Wade Marks, Phil Van der Vossen and Juan Canchasto. Chi Pham subbed on defense.

The next game is Wednesday, July 18, at 8:30 p.m. against archrivals Enigma, a game that may decide first place.

After the Screaming Squirrels’ 6-0 victory Thursday, they could only thank Mors ab Alto for fielding enough players to avoid the forfeit. Death From Above only had one sub, and hardly challenged Squirrels goaltender Bob Sewell as he earned a seven-save shutout.

Meanwhile, Mors ab Alto goaltender Ryan Meeks played another superb game despite the loss, holding the Squirrels to only two goals in the first period behind a very tired team. Tony Richelsen scored three goals, captain Kit Watson had two and an assist, and Wade Marks scored one while falling down.

The Squirrels played without Don Marks, Jeff Ford, Rob Myers, Phil Van der Vossen and Jon Magi. Chi Pham played his first game of the season.

The next game is Tuesday, May 29, at 7:30 p.m. against the Swingers.

On paper, anyone who sees that the first-place Screaming Squirrels only beat winless Mors ab Alto 3-1 would wonder why the game was so close. Anyone who saw the game would have seen the rink tilted to the Squirrels’ advantage as Mors’ goaltender Ryan Meeks made save after save after save.

The Squirrels put up 21 shots in the first period – 47 total – but didn’t score until there were 14 seconds remaining as Jeff Ford one-timed a shot over Meeks’ catching glove shoulder. The second goal came at 12:11 of the second period, when Matt Borlik hit one home from in close. Don Marks trickled a shot through on a power play with 1:17 remaining. With 26 seconds to go in the game, just about everyone stopped skating and Mors got their only goal.

The Squirrels played without Tony Richelsen, Rob Myers, Chris Wautel and Juan Canchasto. The next game is Tuesday, May 22, at 9:30 p.m. against Enigma.

Tuesday’s regular season finale was meaningless in the standings for Mors ab Alto, but important for the Squirrels because a victory would ensure that they finish no worse than third place going into the playoffs. Tony Richelsen and Ben Sumner combined for 5 goals to lead the Squirrels to a 7-1 victory.

Sumner got the scoring started at 12:07 of the first period with a backhand shot past Mors ab Alto goaltender Ryan Meeks. Sumner tried the same move again on a breakaway a few minutes later but was stopped. At 8:37, Phil Van der Vossen put the Squirrels up 2-0 with a shot in front of the net. At 3:31, Sumner scored his second goal assisted by Richelsen, and then Sumner scored again on the very same shift, also from Richelsen. The Squirrels led 4-0 at the half.

No goals were scored in the first ten minutes of the second half before Rob Myers hit Sumner with a pass in front of the net. Sumner hardly moved as the puck hit his stick, went over Meeks’ left pad and spun like a top past the goal line. Mors ab Alto scored its first goal on a delayed penalty call on the Squirrels with 4:47 to play. About a minute and a half later, Sumner hit Richelsen with a pass on a two-on-one break, and Richelsen shelved it to put the Squirrels up 6-1. Myers scored the final goal with 2:36 to go.

The Squirrels played without Ed Bager, Matt Borlik, Juan Canchasto, and Jeff Ford. Bob Sewell made 8 saves in net, while the Squirrels put up 28 shots.

The first playoff game is expected to be Wednesday, Aug. 23, either at 7:30 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. depending on the result of the Silver Spring-Snipe match.

The Squirrels found their offense Wednesday, winning 8-1 and avenging an early-season loss to Mors ab Alto. Jeff Ford scored five goals and added an assist, while Ben Sumner notched two and assisted on four of Ford’s goals.

The Squirrels didn’t start out well, however, as Mors ab Alto scored in the first minute of play. Sumner tied the game a few minutes later by taking the puck around the net and shooting far-side as Ford tied up the defender in the middle. The score stood for eight more minutes before Ford got his first and second of the game, giving the Squirrels a 3-1 lead at the half.

Three minutes into the second period, Ford scored his third of the game, then his fourth six minutes later. Finally, the Squirrels’ second line got in on the action as Ed Bager hit in his third of the season. With three and a half minutes to play, the Squirrels had a face-off in the offensive zone. Ford skated over to Sumner and said, “Try to [win the face off] more to the left.” Sumner won the dual, to the left, and Ford immediately shot the puck and scored his fifth goal. Sumner scored on a breakaway with 30 seconds remaining.

The Squirrels only played with two full lines, something that concerned them going into the game. Don Marks, Kit Watson, Juan Canchasto, Rob Myers and Matt Borlik missed the game. Mors ab Alto played without their starting goaltender, Ryan Meeks, and instead used the Bullhawks’ Guile Ghambir, who made 30 saves. The Squirrels held Mors ab Alto to seven shots.

The next game is Tuesday, May 30, at 8:30 p.m. against Silver Spring.

Notes: No penalties were called in the game, something that hasn’t happened in a Squirrels game in years… Tony Richelsen got his cast taken off, but is still recovering… At 4-3, the Squirrels once again have a winning record, but still have more losses than four other teams in the nine-team division.