A season slipping away?
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- Published on Monday, December 11, 2017
Neepawa Natives lose five straight
By Eoin Devereux
Neepawa Banner & Press
Heading into the MJHL Showcase in Winnipeg, the Neepawa Natives (14-17-2. 30 points) are on a five game losing streak, albeit against some stellar competition. Still, the Natives have found themselves winless in December and barely holding on to the final playoff spot in the standings.
Steinbach 8-2 Neepawa
Even the best of teams are going to find it incredibly tough to bounce back from an early four point deficit. Right now, the Neepawa Natives are not the best of teams and the 8-2 loss to the Steinbach Pistons on Friday, Dec. 8 proved it.
In the first nine minutes of the first period, Steinbach tallied four goals ensuring that the game was well in hand. Austin Heidemann scored less than two minutes into the first. Barely two minutes later, Braden Purtill made it 2-0. The scoring continued with William Koop and Brady Tatro putting away goals, and making it 4-0 after 20 minutes of play.
In the second period, Neepawa had a few chances, but simply couldn’t climb back into contention. Steinbach, meanwhile, did take advantage of their chances with two more goals, as Darby Gula and Mark Taraschuk both scored on power-play opportunities.
The third period would finally see Neepawa break through on the score sheet. Mackenzie Belinski opened things up just 3:30 into the final period, with his eight goal of the year. That was a short-handed marker for the 17-year-old Vista product. Just over ten minutes later, Justin Metcalf put away his 16th goal and 38th point of the season, making the score 6-2. That second goal from Neepawa seemed to motivate the Pistons to finish strong, and they did just that with a pair of late goals. These final tallies would make the final score 8-2.
Dauphin 4-2 Neepawa
A slow start once again doomed the Neepawa Natives to defeat, this time falling to the Dauphin Kings (8-23-2. 18 points), by the score of 4-2. The game was an afternoon tilt between the two clubs on Sunday, Dec. 10 at Credit Union Place in Dauphin. The Kings took a quick lead with a goal just 1:21 into the period. Before the end of the first, Dauphin added two more, including a power-play effort from former Yellowhead Chief, Jaxon Heeney.
Neepawa would reply quickly in the second period, as Justin Metcalf scored just 2:41 into the middle frame. Metcalf put away his 17th of the season. Shifting into the third, Dauphin and Neepawa exchanged goals, to make the final score 4-2. Mackenzie Belinski scored for the Natives with a power-play marker.
Brennan Kitchen took the win for the Kings, setting aside 39 shots, while Jake MacLennan had 42 saves Both teams went 2-for-7 with the man advantage over the course of the game.
These recent losses now have the Natives barely holding on to the eighth and final playoff spot in the MJHL standings, one point ahead for the Swan Valley Stampeders (13-12-3. 29 points).
What now?
The Neepawa Natives have four games left on the schedule for December. First, they’ll play a pair at the MTS Showcase. They will challenge the Waywayseecappo Wolverines on Tuesday, Dec. 12, and then take on the Virden Oil Capitals, the next night. Both of those games will be played at the Bell MTS Iceplex in Winnipeg. The Natives will close out 2017 with a pair this weekend at the Yellowhead Centre. First, they’ll try to exact revenge on the Dauphin Kings on Friday, Dec. 15. Opening face-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Then on Sunday, Dec. 17, the Swan Valley Stampeders will be in Neepawa. Start time is set for 6:30 p.m.
