It wasn't the result they were looking for, but there were are some aspects of the Battlefords Midget Stars' game the coaching staff is impressed with.
The team's discipline has been the biggest change as of late, as they were shorthanded just twice Wednesday night against the Prince Albert Mintos. Unfortunately for the Stars' their discipline didn't result in a win, as they fell 5-2 to the Mintos at the Civic Centre in Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League action.
Twenty-one seconds into the game, a Prince Albert defenceman was left wide open and wristed a point shot towards the net. The shot was going well wide of the net, but hit a player's skates and deflected by a helpless Blair Mahon.Those are the breaks the Stars have been getting lately and going down early to Prince Albert seemed to suck life out of the Battlefords.
Later in the first, Jordaan Braun got the Stars on the board, as he scored from Brody Tatchell and Zachary Klebaum after good pressure and quick passes in the offensive zone.
The score was tied 1-1 after the first, but Prince Albert went up 3-1 after the second period. The Stars didn't play a bad second period, but a shot off the end boards that bounced back to the crease for an easy tap in and a two-on-one one timer put Prince Albert in control.
The Stars tried to build some momentum and came within inches of tying the game as Blake Young centred a pass that was redirected off the post. Minutes later, Prince Albert capitalized on a shorthanded turnover and beat Mahon to go up 4-1.
After failing to score on a 45-second 5-on-3 power play, the Stars scored to pump some life back into the team. Tatchell took a slap shot off the rush that hit Prince Albert's goalie Tyrell King and trickled into the net.
That excitement was short lived, 12 second later the Stars gave that goal right back, as Matt Anholt wristed a long shot that Mahon got a glove on but had the puck drop behind him and across the line.
The final score was 5-2 and the Stars remain winless on the season.
The Stars' coaches, Lorne Nielsen and Lee Ulmer Jr., commented about how the lack of attention to detail is still costing their team games. Turnovers, blocked shots and missed defensive assignments are resulting in goals against the team who will look for some redemption and their first win this weekend when they host the Moose Jaw Generals Saturday and Sunday.
Wednesday, Mahon faced 30 shots while the Stars managed 23 against King. Both teams couldn't produce on the power play and it was Prince Albert moving to 5-1-0-0 on the season while the Stars are 0-7-0-0.
