In head coach Trevor Sack's third game behind the bench, the Battlefords Midget Stars likely deserved a better result than an 8-5 loss to the Saskatoon Contacts Wednesday evening.
The Stars played a good team game along the boards and out shot the Contacts 44-27, but after a few lucky goals in the first period Saskatoon cruised to the victory despite a push from the Stars.
Kayle Doetzel scored the game's first goal, as two Stars went down to block the shot, but got just enough of the puck to have it deflect up and by an unsuspecting Regan Santoro.
Later, after the Stars had a few strong shifts and a good cycle going, they had a breakdown and the Contacts' Kohi Bauml picked the top corner on a two-on-one.
Cody Pettapiece scored next for Saskatoon, as he took a wrist shot from the point that beat a screened Santoro clean and the Contacts led 3-0.
Blake Young got the Stars on the board with 30 seconds left in the first, on a powerplay, as he powered his way through the Contacts' defenders and centred a backhand pass that hit goalie Patrick Johnson and ended up in the back of the net.
The Stars, who looked like the better team after 20 minutes, trailed 3-1.
In the second, Cody Pongracz, Austin Calladine and Bryn MacNab scored for Saskatoon giving them a 6-1 lead.
Blair Mahon replaced Santoro in he Stars' net for the third period and the Stars won the third period, but it wasn't enough to mount a comeback.
Cody Thiel scored from Jeff Olson and Justin Lund with eight minutes left in the third. Seconds later, Colby Harmsworth beat Mahon to reclaim the five-goal lead, but that was followed by Young scoring from Dylan Fluter. Saskatoon answered that goal again, but still the Stars refused to quit. Colby Cave scored from Lund and Olson, and with 26 seconds left, Thiel scored from Lund, but that was too little too late, as the game ended 8-5.
The resilient Stars played a balanced game and had it not been for a hot goalie in the Contacts' net some costly mistakes, they could've ended their losing streak. Instead the loss is their ninth straight. They will wrap up 2010 in Saskatoon against the Blazers Sunday, who are the last team the Stars beat, dating back to Nov. 17.
