By Jeff D'Andrea

Dryka upset after Icehawks 7-5 defeat to Thunder

Dec 10, 2014 | 9:27 PM

The Prince Albert Icehawks blew a 4-0 lead in a 7-5 loss to the Tri-Town Thunder Wednesday and nobody was more upset than Icehawks head coach Kim Dryka.

Dryka’s bellowing voice filled the Kinsmen Arena halls as he berated his team—which is quite rare for him even after a disappointing loss.

Thankfully in his post-game interviews, he was a lot calmer than he was in the dressing room. Without missing a beat, Dryka recapped his message to his boys—don’t blame others and take responsibility.

“It seems like that’s the easy way out. Everybody is making mistakes out there, but nobody is taking credibility,” said Dryka. “Maybe it’s time to look at yourself and say, ‘hey, maybe some of this is my fault.’

“They got to realize it’s part of a team game. It’s not just an individual effort out there.”

Court proceedings

Drugs and weapons bust in Stanley Mission, results in two year sentence

15h ago

health care

La Loche recipient of new portable blood analyzer, printer kit

16h ago

Crime

Dangerous driving report at Red Wing, leads to arrest of man with gun

20h ago

There was plenty of blame to go around in the final 45 minutes of Wednesday’s game. They Icehawks had all the control early with a 4-0 lead in the first 15 minutes, only to be outscored 7-1 the rest of the way.

The Thunder made it 4-2 heading into the second period with two late goals in the first.

Icehawks captain Brett Boyer scored his second goal and third point of the game early in the second to give the Icehawks a 5-2 lead. But the Thunder tied it as they scored three goals within a 3:03 span to make it a 5-5 game heading into the third.

“Coming into the third period, it was anyone’s game,” said Dryka. “We talked about it in the dressing room, ‘who wants it more?’

“We didn’t want it. We were outshot 19-2… We should have had the two points and we got nothing out of it.”

Tyrell Pompu scored the go-ahead goal for the Thunder with 8:22 left, but Zach Garrett ended the game with an empty net goal.

Pompu, who attended the Prince Albert Mintos camp last year, has been a painful thorn in the Icehawks’ side this week. He scored five goals and nine points in his last two meetings against the Icehawks. He scored two goals and three points on Wednesday after a whopping three-goal, six-point effort in the Thunders’ 10-7 win in Carrot River on Saturday.

“He’s a good player and when you give him room, he’s going to find the net—that’s what good scorers do,” said Dryka. “We held him in check for the first period, maybe the first half of the game, then we decided to quit moving and quit competing and they took over.”

The Icehawks well head to Delisle on Sunday to play the Chiefs, host the Tri-Town Thunder again at the Kinsmen on Dec. 19, before welcoming the West Central Rage on Dec. 20.

jdandrea@panow.com

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea