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Win over Thrashers a confidence booster

The Norman Northstars displayed the potential their coach sees in them when they knocked off the Winnipeg Thrashers 3-2 in a shootout on Jan. 27. "I think this game was huge for the team's confidence moving forward," said head coach Dustin Levesque.
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Norman Northstar Brendan Barron scores on Winnipeg Thrashers goaltender Shaun Gerbinski with a one-handed deke in his teams' 3-2 shootout victory on Jan 27.

The Norman Northstars displayed the potential their coach sees in them when they knocked off the Winnipeg Thrashers 3-2 in a shootout on Jan. 27.

"I think this game was huge for the team's confidence moving forward," said head coach Dustin Levesque. "This game ranks right up there as one of the most if not the most exciting of the year."

Eddie Bayer scored on two of three attempts in the 10-round shootout, while Lodie Ipeelie and Brendan Barron had the other successful shots, with Paulic stopping seven Thrashers' attempts, including the last five he faced.

Ipeelie had the Northstars' first goal in the second period, while defenceman Bruce Highway picked an opportune time for his first midget AAA goal, tying the score 2-2 with 2:16 left in the game, in which Winnipeg led twice and outshot the Northstars 57-32.

The Thrashers came back with a 5-2 victory the next night, but Levesque says now his players realize what they can accomplish,when they work together and play the game the right way.

"We have a tough weekend coming up with Interlake, Central Plains who is playing well and shut us out on the road last time, then wrapping things up with the Wild," said Levesque. "Interlake is out of reach for us but we could know as soon as Wednesday if we'll be hosting the first round of playoffs at home. For me, this weekend the goal is to continue getting the players to a point where they're all supportive of one another and putting the team before themselves and I won't lie, it's been a real struggle trying to get there. As I've said before, this team is capable of beating anyone but the key word is team, not one or two lines, or one or two individuals. We need everyone pushing and supporting one another to take their games to the next level, not caring who gets the points or the critical shifts but caring that the team got the result together. It's hard for players to comprehend at the time but for some of these players, this is it, this could very well be the highest level of competitive hockey they end up playing."

Levesque speaks from experience.

"When we won the league championship in 1995-96, I remember in the dressing room when we were celebrating in Shoal Lake, coach [Doug] Korman said 'Enjoy this moment boys, you may never be a part of another championship winning team again,'" Levesque recalls. "At the time we were all on top of the world, thought we were the greatest hockey players on earth and it didn't register but it was true, I never played on another championship team and neither did the majority of my teammates. We want our teams to enjoy these years but to play for the team unselfishly, to play for and embrace the fact that there are small kids who idolize them and understand that not many people ever get the chance to experience that feeling. We want them to play for their parents who've supported them since they first put on skates when they were four years old and to play for their teammates who are 17 and would give anything to extend the season just one more game. Playing for yourself is easy, but putting others before yourself and playing knowing that you're letting so many others who support you down if you don't put in your best effort with the right attitude ... playing with that perspective makes a real hockey player. If we can get everyone there we can be a very dangerous team. There is a ways for us to go but there is still time for us to get there."

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