Hot on the heels of their first win of the season, the Norman Northstars were looking to turn that momentum into continued success at home this past weekend.
Ultimately, the team put in a valiant effort during their Oct. 27−28 series, but they still lacked a few key ingredients that would have allowed them to steal some points away from the Winnipeg Thrashers.
While the visiting Thrashers would eventually win Saturday’s game by a final score of 6−3, the first two periods showcased some of the best hockey the Northstars have played at the C.A. Nesbitt Arena so far this year.
Not only did Braedin Melsted stand on his head in net, but the Northstars’ defence and offence kept pace with their opponents despite being at an obvious size and speed disadvantage.
While the Thrashers would take a 4−2 lead halfway through the third period, the Northstars were still largely in the game at this point.
This all changed when Albert Sinclair and Jamie Valentino both got slapped with two-minute minors for head contact simultaneously, which put the Thrashers on a two-man advantage that they quickly capitalized on.
Even though Hunter Rambow was able to close the gap with a goal at 12:26, the wind had been taken out of the Northstars’ sails and the Thrashers walked away with a 6−3 victory.
Valentino also got hit with a 10-minute misconduct for unintentionally hitting a referee with a water bottle in a fit of anger following the Thrashers’ final goal.
Northstars coach Murray Nychyporuk said this lack of discipline has been holding the team back this season, telling CHTM Radio about an incident that took place during a losing effort against the Parkland Rangers on Oct. 21.
“We took a 10-minute misconduct before the game even started because we were firing pucks at their players during warmup,” he said. “We’re trying to make the playoffs here and we just can’t let these points pass us by like they have.”
While the Northstars didn’t get into the same kind of penalty trouble during their rematch on Sunday, they failed to capitalize on a lot of key scoring opportunities, which eventually led to their defeat.
This came to a head halfway through the third period, when the Thrashers were up 4−2 and the Northstars were given a two-man advantage power play to help close the gap.
The Northstars failed to score throughout this time, which allowed the Winnipeg team to regroup and bury two more goals before the end of the game, resulting in a 6−2 final.
With this latest pair of defeats, the Northstars win-loss record has dropped down to 1−11, which keeps them in last place in the Manitoba Midget AAA Hockey League.
The Northstars are back on the road this upcoming weekend, where they will be taking on the Central Plains Capitals, Winnipeg Wild and Interlake Lightning.
Their next home series in Thompson will take place Nov. 9−10 against the Kenora Thistles.
