By Jeff D'Andrea

Icehawks romped by Chiefs 7-1, on 14-game losing streak

Jan 14, 2015 | 10:11 PM

November 16 seems like such a long time ago for the Prince Albert Icehawks.

That was the last time they’ve won a Prairie Junior Hockey League game, a 5-4 contest against the West Central Rage on the road in Kerrobert. They’ve played 14 games since then and have lost thirteen in regulation. The lone point the Icehawks have received in that time frame was in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Traveland RV Storm on Nov. 28.

Their winless streak continued on Wednesday as the Icehawks dropped a 7-1 decision to the Delisle Chiefs, seeing their season record fall to 4-21-1.

The Icehawks become increasingly agitated throughout the game, and took it out on either the officials or the opposing Chiefs, who have been fierce rivals to the Icehawks in the past.

“Unfortunately, the kids are frustrated but that’s part of the game,” said Icehawks head coach Kim Dryka. “You gotta work yourself through it. Give everyone credit, they’re hanging in there, they’re giving it, but unfortunately we’re not getting the bounces to break the streak.”

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Although the Chiefs won the game handily, Dryka makes a good point of not getting bounces. Chiefs defenceman Dylan McGonigal scored a goal in the third period that hit a stick, went almost straight up in the air and floated into the Icehawks goal and would be a good nomination for the Flukiest Goals of the Year.

On the other side of the coin, Icehawks forward Jack Green was snakebitten on a number of occasions. He hit the crossbar twice in the second period alone. After one of those shots hit the crossbar, Green swatted at the puck, but missed and inadvertently hit Chiefs goaltender Malcolm Young in the mask—so instead of a goal, Green served a minor penalty for slashing.

So how do the Icehawks turn their luck around and stop this painfully long streak? A full-game effort would help. The Icehawks lost the third period 4-1 and were outshot 20-10 in the frame, which erased a much more energetic second period when they were scapping to get back in the game.

But Dryka said that the only way they can get out of this long slump is to work hard, with the right attitude.

“The biggest thing to break the streak is staying positive, which the boys are,” said Dryka. “We have to be a little more hungry.”

Summary

Graham Gove and Dylan McGonigal each had two goals and four point-nights to lead the Chiefs offensively in the game.

Icehawks goaltender Tyler Gordon stopped the first 15 shots he faced in the first period while his team was getting outshot 15-5, keeping his team in it. The Chiefs finally foiled Gordon with their 16^th shot, a nice low-high play with the man-advantage with Chiefs leading scorer Graham Gove giving the Chiefs a 1-0 lead.

Kynan Tarnowski gave the Chiefs a 2-0 lead midway through the second period.

The Chiefs made it 3-0 late in the second as Dylan McGonigal banged home a loose puck in Gordon’s crease.

The game started to get out of hand in the third period as Gove, McGonigal and Anthony Radke all scored in the opening 10 minutes of the game.

The Icehawks finally got on the board 13 minutes into the third period as Brendon Boyer broke the deadlock, with Logan McKay getting an assist.

The Chiefs closed the deal late with a 5-on-3 goal off the stick of Colby Haugen.

Some rough stuff ensued in the final two minutes of the game as Jordan Bouchard and Anthony Radke scraped. Radke dropped his gloves initially to scrap with Icehawks assistant captain Brendon Boyer, but Bouchard interrupted that would-be fight and got involved instead. Both Radke and Bouchard received fighting majors and game misconducts.

Road for two, home for three

The Icehawks will travel to Kerrobert to take on the West Central Rage on Saturday, before bussing over to Saskatoon to face the Quakers on Wednesday.

The Icehawks will have then three home games in three days Jan. 23-25 with matches against the Regina Silver Foxes, the Southern Rebels and the West Central Rage.

jdandrea@panow.com

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea