Staff
The Thief River Falls Norskies have been steamrolling over their SIJHL opponents so far this season.
The Fort Frances Lakers were their latest victims–falling 5-2 on Friday night and then 3-2 on Saturday at the Ralph Engelstad Arena as the front-running Norskies extended their season-opening winning streak to 12-straight games.
“First game we got caught sleeping in the first period again similar to the week before against them [a 3-1 loss here back on Oct. 21],” Lakers’ head coach Wayne Strachan said in an e-mailed response to the Times.
“We spot them a three-goal lead.
“I thought we outplayed them in the second [period] but didn’t capitalize on our chances,” he added.
“Then in the third, we score early but then let our emotions get the best of us and didn’t give ourselves a chance to get back in the game having to kill penalties.”
Noah Loveday and Jack Bernie netted the Lakers’ goals Friday night while Rob Ivy faced 37 shots in taking the loss.
Strachan said the team played with a purpose, battled, and deserved a better fate in Saturday night’s game.
“In the end, outside circumstances we cannot control and our emotions cost us the game,” he noted.
The Lakers opened the scoring when Jaedin Ness netted a short-handed marker near the midway mark of the first period.
After the Norskies had tied it in the second, Ness notched his second of the game shortly thereafter to put the Lakers back in front.
But the hosts scored twice in the third, including Boe Bjorge’s power-play tally with just over 1:30 left in regulation time, to pull out the victory.
Lakers’ goalie Michael Binczyk faced 28 shots in getting tagged with the loss.
“[My] overall assessment is we beat ourselves,” Strachan remarked.
“We need to be focused at the start of games, we have to keep our emotions in check, and we still have mental lapses or breakdowns that are hurting us,” he noted.
Strachan didn’t think playing the same team three-straight times had an impact on the outcome.
“[But] I believe it made us realize what it will take to beat the top teams in the league,” he reasoned.
At the same time, Strachan said the parity in the league is close.
“I believe any team on any given night can win and be effective,” he remarked. “You just have to come prepared and ready to give an honest effort.
“The difference I see in the league is the teams at the top have a veteran presence that helps them a lot over the rest of the league,” Strachan said.
“That poise, patience, and calming factor makes a huge difference.
“The Norskies [also] have the best goaltending in the league, which makes a huge difference throughout hockey games,” he added.
The Lakers (5-7-1-1), who slipped to fourth place in the SIJHL in the wake of their current three-game losing skid, next face the Thunder Bay North Stars this Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Ice For Kids Arena before visiting the Dryden GM Ice Dogs on Saturday night.
The North Stars (6-5-2-0) vaulted into third place after sweeping a pair of games from the last-place Minnesota Iron Rangers (1-9-0-2) over the weekend while the Ice Dogs (9-1-2-1) sit in second place behind the unbeaten Norskies (12-0-0-0).
“Weeks are not getting any easier,” Strachan stressed. “Thunder Bay has added some new players and is coming off a sweep in their games last weekend.
“Dryden is virtually unbeatable at home.
“We need to believe in our game,” he remarked. “Come ready to play and play to our strengths.
“We talked after Friday’s loss and we need to get to a point where if someone beats us, it’s because of what we did,” Strachan said.
“We need to be the aggressors, we need to win battles, we have to use our speed and skill,” he noted.
“We have to do a better job of attacking our opponents’ nets.
“If we can do these things consistently, then our game will improve and we will have more success,” he added.
“We still need to improve in our defensive game in certain situations, but we are improving each and every day.”
Strachan said there hasn’t been one player or one set of lines that has impressed him the most 14 games into the regular season.
“I believe we have had contribution from everyone on the roster throughout the young season,” he remarked.
“Lately, Noah Loveday has played strong for us [while] Jack Bernie and Hunter Buzzi’s games have picked up.
“We still get steady play out of Nick Lucas, Jaedin Ness, Julian Uhryniuk, and Carter Chorney up front,” he added.
Strachan also said he likes to stay consistent with his line combinations, for the most part, to create chemistry.
“We have juggled lines here and there, as well as with injuries,” he noted.
As for injuries, the Lakers are without defenceman Connor Keith (upper body), forward Jeff Venzon (elbow/shoulder issues), and goalie Brett Akins (knee).
Forward Damien Caringi remains out with illness but the team hopes to get him back this week.
As well, forward Skylar Lentz missed Saturday’s game with a facial injury but also should be back for this weekend’s action.
