The playoffs got off to a bad start for Palmerston as Shelburne won the first game 6-3 in the best-of-five series on Jan. 30 in Shelburne.
The first period scoring was close, but the Muskies closed it ahead 2-1. Abe Herbst got the 81’s only marker, assisted by Brad Kenny and Dan Richardson.
Shelburne dominated the second period, scoring four more times, and ended the period up 5-1.
Palmerston tried to come back in the third, with Richardson and Kenny each gettimg one past the Muskies’ goalie, but Shelburne put the game out of reach by scoring once more.
The next game is in Palmerston on Friday, Feb. 5, 8:30 p.m., then it’s back to Shelburne for game three on Saturday, Feb. 6,  at 8 p.m. Game four is scheduled for Palmerston on Sunday, Feb. 7, at 6:30 p.m.