TROY, Mich. – The Thunder Bay Kings had a loss and two shootout setbacks Saturday in North American Prospects Hockey League action in Troy, Mich.
The minor midget Kings were blanked 3-0 by HC Dallas before falling 5-4 late in extra shots vs. the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights while the major midget side fell 2-1 in a shootout against the Green Bay Gamblers.
In the match-up vs. Dallas, Avery Smith tallied twice and Bryce Murphy posted the shutout for the winners making 18 saves
Seth McKay turned aside 28 of 31 in the loss for the under-16 Kings.
Meanwhile in their second game of the day, Thunder Bay saw Wilkes-Barre/Scranton rally late to tie the game with a second remaining before going to take the shootout.
The Kings led 2-1 after one period of play on markers by Jayden Mrakic and Michael Larizza.
They went up 4-2 through after two thanks to Fletcher Anderson sandwiching markers around one by the Knights.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton started their comeback with 4:27 to go then pulled even in dramatic fashion tying the contest with an extra attacker just prior to time expiring.
Going right to the shootout, the Knights scored the only two tallies to pull out the win.
Scott Adams faced 33 shots in suffering the loss for Thunder Bay.
The Kings final NAPHL U-16 game goes Sunday at 1 p.m. when they take on the St. Louis Selects.
As for the major midgets contest against Green Bay, it also took extra shots to decide a winner before the Gamblers eventually coming out on top.
After a scoreless opening period, Green Bay took a 1-0 lead with the lone tally in the second stanza.
Thunder Bay pressed for the equalizer in the third and was rewarded on a Kirk Coppock goal with 2:57 remaining.
The Kings also had a great chance to win it in regulation having a two-man advantage for the final 94 seconds, but could not capitalize on their opportunity.
In the shootout, the ended up going six rounds, the Gamblers won it outscoring Thunder Bay 3-2 to pick-up the extra point.
Baldino Aiello and Cody Bruchkowski were the marksmen for the club in defeat.
Tyler Szturm stopped 24 of 25 attempts through three periods and three of six in extra shots in defeat.
The under-18 Kings wrap-up NAPHL play Sunday morning at 7 a.m. when they meet first place Omaha AAA.
