A HERCULEAN effort by the Newcastle North Stars to come back from a 3-0 deficit and tie their game with the Canberra Brave on Sunday night was overshadowed by the gut-wrenching shoot-out loss the side fell to.
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A lacklustre first period and poor luck on calls from the officials at the Hunter Ice Skating Stadium game on May 24 played a part in the North Stars’ 5-4 loss.
“We spectated, we watched them play around us in the first period,” North Stars coach Andrew Petrie said.
“From thereon in I thought we showed a lot of character.
“But the overall feeling is disappointment that we can’t play 50 minutes of hockey.
“We need to go whistle to whistle, every shift, from the start to the finish.”
The Brave led 3-0 headed into the third and final period of Sunday’s game.
The third Brave goal was met with disagreement about its validity, with the loud majority stating it should not have been awarded to Canberra.
North Stars general manager Garry Doré said such instances where the referee call contradicted what many spectators believed to have happened was why the Australian Ice Hockey League needed further officiating during games.
“I’ll be approaching the AIHL about the need for goal judges,” he said.
“It’s quite frustrating seeing a goal awarded when it should not be and vice versa.”
The North Stars rallied in the final period and within eight minutes were tied 3-3 thanks to goals from import Geordie Wudrick and Novocastrian Matt Wetini.
One more Brave goal was answered immediately by Newcastle’s Beau Taylor but the 4-4 tie could not be broken before the clock sounded time on the game.
The Brave won the shoot-out.
The North Stars will travel to Penrith on Saturday to face the Sydney Bears.
