The Westlock senior ‘AA’ Warriors are riding their first prolonged losing streak of their inaugural North Central Hockey League season.
The streak started with the Warriors losing their first home game of the year on Nov. 15 to the Morinville Kings, 8-7. On the road in Edson on Nov. 17, the Warriors fell to the Ice 8-3. The two losses drop the Warriors’ record to 3-4-0 in the Northern Division of the NCHL.
“It was a tough loss, but it was bound to happen” said coach Joe Kuhar after Friday’s setback.
It was a back and forth game, and the Warriors battled hard in the third period to bring the deficit to only one goal after trailing by three goals with less than half a period to play.
Kuhar said he felt the game turned on three bounces that went the Kings’ way early in the game. Despite the Warriors controlling much of the play and maintaining most of the momentum, those bounces were enough to end the home winning streak.
The Warriors only led twice all game. They took a 1-0 lead when they opened the scoring 2:35 into the first period, and went up 2-1 at the 14:19 mark of the first.
After the opening 20 minutes, the Warriors found themselves trailing 3-2, but managed to tie things 5-5 heading into the second intermission.
Once the third started, it took more than seven and a half minutes before anyone scored, but once the Kings broke the ice and it took less than two minutes for their lead to hit 8-5.
Two Warriors’ goals three minutes apart late in the period led to a frenzied finish, but no tying goal, making the final 8-7 for Morinville.
Leading the way for the Warriors in the game was Dave Carr (2G, A), Ricky Wong (G, 2A), Alex Belzevick (3A) and Derek Koizumi (3A) with three points each.
Tanner Sohn (2G) and Evan Kuhar (G, A) each had two points.
Levis Monfette (G), Martin Clausen (A) and Mike Podruzny (A) had a single point each.
Hoping to rebound from Friday’s loss, the Warriors instead dropped their third straight road game to the Edson Ice Sunday afternoon.
Kuhar said it was rough game because only 12 Warriors were able to make the trip to Edson.
That meant the team only had two lines to play with, and a team usually needs at least three lines to be able to compete.
The Warriors never led against the Ice.
“We held our own right through the 10 minute mark of the first period, and then they popped in three quick ones on us,” Kuhar said.
It was 3-0 for the Ice after one period, and although the Warriors rallied in the second, the Ice took a 6-2 lead into the second intermission.
“Penalties again cost us a bit in the second period,” he said.
The two teams played even in the third, but the deficit was too much to overcome.
Despite the loss, Kuhar said he drew positives from the game, chief among them the need to come ready to play every game.
Up next for the Warriors is a home game Nov. 23 against the Devon Barons.
“We look forward to next weekend against Devon,” Kuhar said.
