The Norman Northstars remain the only winless team in the Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League after going 0-4 on their most recent road trip Oct. 20-23.
The Northstars began the four games back-to-back in Morden Oct. 20, where they lost 5-1 to the Pembina Valley Hawks. The game started well for the Northstars when they got the first goal from Hunter Halcrow on a power play less than six minutes after the opening faceoff, but the lead lasted only until the 4:54 mark of the second period when Everett Bestland tied things up for the Hawks. Elijah Carels added another second period goal on the power play and then got his second less than halfway through the final frame to put Pembina Valley up 3-1. Sven Schefer and Cad Kowalski added goals in the final six minutes. Shots in the game were 33-25 in the Hawks’ favour and Braedin Melsted made 28 saves in the Northstars’ net.
The Northstars were once again the first team on the scoreboard against the Brandon Wheat Kings Oct. 21, when Michael Venne scored nearly halfway through the game, but the Wheat Kings scored three times in less than three minutes late in the second period en route to a 4-2 victory. Dylan Halliday talliedwith 3:34 left in the middle frame to tie the score, followed by Tate Popple 18 seconds later and Lynden McCallum 51 seconds before the second intermission. Venne’s second goal of the game cut Brandon’s lead to one with about five minutes to play but McCallum’s second of the game gave the Wheat Kings a two-goal advantage again with just over two minutes to play. Allan Kohli made 49 saves for the Northstars, who were outshot 53-35.
Saturday’s game against the Southwest Cougars saw the Northstars fall behind 5-0 before getting on the scoresheet in a game that ended 6-2 for the Cougars. Carson Bocheyko had the only goal in the first period, while Tanner Andrew, Caley Barscello, Michael Tilbury and McCullough Park scored in the second period before Dustin Parker got the Northstars’ first with 22 seconds left in the period. Tristan Galarneau scored 8:12 into the third period to make it a 5-2 score and Bryce Young scored Southwest’s sixth a couple of minutes later. Shots were 42-28 for the Cougars and Melsted made 36 saves.
The weekend ended with a 7-3 loss to the Yellowhead Chiefs, who scored three times in the second period to establish a 5-2 lead. The Chiefs had gotten goals from Parker Johnson and Eric Lemoine in the first period. Dennis Scatch halved the lead just 22 seconds after the second period faceoff, but goals less than a minute apart from Noah Geekie and Johnson, followed by a Benoit Mowbray about nine minutes later put the Chiefs up by four before Galarneau scored with 21 seconds to play before the second intermission. Jacob Tibbats and Brian Mentuck scored 26 seconds apart in the first half of the final frame to make it 7-2 for Yellowhead. Albert Berard had a late goal for the Northstars, who gave up three power play goals. Kohli stopped 41 shots as the Northstars were outshot 48-32.
The Northstars are currently last in the league with a 0-10 record. The Northstars are on the road again this weekend, taking on the Central Plains Capitals, Wheat Kings and Chiefs.
