TROY, Mich. – Saturday was a tough one on the ice for the Thunder Bay major and minor midget Kings as they combined to drop all three games they played in North American Prospects Hockey League action in Troy, Mich.
The minor midget Kings fell 3-1 to the Esmark Stars and 4-3 to the Madison Capitols while the major midgets were blanked 3-0 by Madison’s under-18 side.
In the match-up with Esmark, who sit tied for second spot in the 17-team under-16 division of the NAPHL, the Stars opened the scoring 30 seconds into the contest.
They added another before the first period was complete before Cooper Witherspoon struck shorthanded midway through the second to put the Kings on the board.
Esmark added one more early in the third however to help secure the victory.
The Stars also held the edge in shots on goal by a 31-22 margin with Jordan Smith suffering the loss in goal for Thunder Bay.
In the minors’ second game of the day, the Kings let a 3-1 lead get away in the setback against the Capitols.
They also allowed another early marker as Madison connected just 21 seconds after the opening face-off.
Christian Veneruzzo connected on the power play at 2:49 to knot the affair at 1-1 while Owen Belisle had a man advantage effort of his own midway through the frame to put Thunder Bay up 2-1.
A third extra man effort allowed the Kings to go up a pair thanks to another from Veneruzzo.
The Capitols added one of their own on the power play before the first was finished and then tied it at 3-3 with the lone goal of the middle session.
Madison then completed the comeback notching the game-winner with 1:38 left in regulation.
The Kings outshot the Caps 28-27 with Christian Cicigoi in net for the defeat.
Sunday has the minor midgets meeting Omaha AAA of Nebraska at 4 p.m. before concluding the NAPHL’s regular season Monday as they meet the New Jersey Titans at 11 a.m.
Under-18 play Saturday saw the Kings shutout by Madison as the Capitols tallied twice, 27 seconds apart, in the opening period before adding one more in the middle stanza to round out the scoring.
The Kings were outshot 28-11 overall in the game with Seth McKay making 25 saves in a losing cause for Thunder Bay.
Sunday’s lone contest for the club has the major midget Kings tangling with the Wenatchee Wolves from Washington State at 2:15 p.m.
They then wrap things up with a 7 a.m. meeting Monday vs. Pursuit of Excellence of Kelowna, B.C.
