The Tisdale Trojans (white) shake hands with the Battlefords Stars (black and silver) following two losses at the Tisdale RECplex (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff).

By Aaron Schulze

Trojans Cold Streak

Trojans fall to Stars 6-3, drop fourth straight game

Feb 10, 2020 | 8:43 AM

Entering the weekend, the Tisdale Trojans were only one win away from clinching a spot in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League’s (SMAAAHL) postseason.

Their opponent in both games: the team right on their tale – the ninth place Battlefords Stars.

The Trojans began the weekend with a 6-3 loss to the Stars at the Tisdale RECplex on Saturday, Feb. 8, but could still exit with a playoff spot if they managed a win Sunday.

Over 35 minutes into play in the opening game, the Trojans found themselves trailing 4-0 before two quick goals by center Trenton Curtis and forward Carter Briltz in the final five minutes of the second period made it 4-2.

There was more pushing, shoving, and finished checks throughout the game than usual. The weekend served as the first time the Trojans and Stars played each other since mid-November, where Trojans defenceman Drayton Hvidston suffered a concussion that caused him to miss nearly three months.

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“I like that our boys showed some emotion today, which they haven’t showed a lot lately,” Trojans Head Coach Dennis Kubat told northeastNOW. “I thought scoring those two late goals might give us a little momentum going into the third, but I guess we didn’t carry through.”

Owen Slugoski for the Stars and Kalen Ukrainetz for the Trojans traded goals 24 seconds apart midway through the third period, but the Stars eventually skated with another 6-3 victory.

Four of the Trojans’ six goals against came from rebounds. Kubat said his team’s protection in front of the net was terrible.

“As coaches we’ve got to do a better job and figure out a way to get these guys to buy into giving [goaltender Hunter Lolacher] a chance to make the saves,” he said. “He made a lot of the first saves, but we’ve got to do a better job of clearing it out and figuring out a plan. We’re the leaders of this team and we’ve got to figure out what we can do to help.”

Scoring Summary – Sunday, Feb. 9

First Period

1-0, Stars, Owen Slugoski (2) from Andrew Urbaniak (4), 6:12

2-0, Stars, Payton Kostyshyn (4) from Vaughn Watterodt (15) and Carson Dobson (21), 12:13

Second Period

3-0, Stars, Mason Bueckert (11) from Liam McInnis (10) and Jake Southgate (9), 8:30

4-0, Stars, Vaughn Watterodt (11) from Mason Bueckert (10) and Tanner Willick (14), 13:42

4-1, Trojans, Trenton Curtis (12) from Kalen Ukrainetz (25) and Zac Robins (17) (power play), 15:30

4-2, Trojans, Carter Briltz (11) from Keagon Little (12) and Noah Wills (24), 19:06

Third Period

5-2, Stars, Owen Slugoski 2 (3) from Curren Wintonyk-Pilot (3) and Liam McInnis (11), 5:11

5-3, Trojans, Kalen Ukrainetz (29) from Kylynn Olafson (13) and Kayden Ostrom (5), 5:35

6-3, Stars, Curren Wintonyk-Pilot (4) from Owen Slugoski (5) and Payton Kostyshyn (5), 15:21

Goaltending

Stars, Jackson Fellner (W), 28 saves on 31 shots in 58 minutes played

Stars, Ethan Hein, zero saves on zero shots in two minutes played

Trojans, Hunter Lolacher (L), 33 saves on 39 shots in 60 minutes played

Looking ahead

The Trojans can clinch the eighth and final SMAAAHL playoff spot if they win one more game or if the Stars lose one of their final five games in any fashion.

However, having lost four straight games – all at home – with a playoff berth one win away, Kubat was short for words to describe how the Trojans are feeling after the weekend losses to the Stars.

“It’s even more frustrating knowing when we come in after the break and play a couple of our best games against the Hounds and Mintos… to come here this weekend in front of our home fans, where we had good crowds both nights, and put up that, is just unacceptable from everyone,” he said.

The Trojans travel to Prince Albert to take on their regional rival Mintos on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at the Art Hauser Centre at 7 p.m. with a broadcast available on Saskatchewan’s New Beach Radio.

The Trojans trail the season series 1-1-1; winning 4-2 and losing 3-2 in a shootout in Tisdale and losing in Prince Albert 4-1.

“We’ve got a lot of adversity that’s hit us right now,” Kubat said. “We’ll see if we’re going to man up or fold the tent here. Hopefully they’re not going to quit on us, and I know as a coaching staff we’re going to do whatever we can to get them ready to go Wednesday and have a good last push here.”

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aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow