The Norman Northstars came close to earning a point in their three-game road trip Nov. 2-4 but a late comeback attempt against the Interlake Lightning on Sunday was too little, too late as they fell 7-6.
Albert Sinclair and Henry Muchikekwanape scored power play goals in the last three minutes of the third period but the 1:15 remaining to play after the second of those goals was not enough time for them to come up with the equalizer. The Northstars recorded three third period goals, with Mikey Baron notching the other, but they also gave up three to Chase Barkley, Nicholas Prystupa and Kai Studler, one of which was scored on a power play.
The Lightning opened the game with goals by Tyler Carvalho and Austin Adair before Richard Ducharme got the Northstars on the board. Ducharme scored a second goal 17 seconds into the middle frame to tie the score but Willaim Faraci replied soon after for Interlake. A power play tally by Jordan Pfoh tied the score once again but Derrick Lange of the Lightning scored on the power play with 1:12 left before the second intermission.
Rylan Potkonjak made 39 saves as the Northstars outshot the Lightning 49-46.
The final game of the weekend was by far the closest for the Northstars. On Nov. 3, they skated through a scoreless first period against the Winnipeg Wild before giving up three goals each in the second and third periods for a 6-0 shutout loss. Reese Belton recorded a natural hat trick in the second period while Kaden Bryant, Jackson Klewchuk and Luc Benedictson scored in the final frame, with Klewchuk’s tally coming with the Wild shorthanded.
Shots in the game were 46-31 for Winnipeg and Potkonjak made 40 saves for the Northstars in the loss.
Ryan Monias got the first goal of the game against the Central Plains Capitals Nov. 2 but that was all the offence the Northstars could muster in a 7-1 setback. Cody Blight had a hat trick for the Capitals, while Kian Calder, Ryan Botterill, Riley Borody and Marcus Dewey added singles.
Shots in the game were 44-25 and Braedin Melsted made 44 saves for the Northstars.
The Northstars are in action at home Nov. 9-10 against the Kenora Thistles, with the Saturday game at 1:30 in the afternoon. The eighth-place Thistles are 12 points ahead of the Northstars in the standings. The Northstars trail the 11th-place Lightning by five points in the 12-team midget AAA league.
