North Stars strike back against Brave

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The Newcastle North Stars overcame an ill-disciplined start to down the CBR Brave 7-2 at the Hunter Ice Skating Stadium on Sunday night.
 
After conceding two goals on an early power play in the opening minutes, the North Stars then piled on seven unanswered goals to run away with a strong win in front of its home crowd.
 
North Stars Coach Andrew Petrie was much happier with his teams’ performance this weekend as the defending premiers claimed six points from its games against the Bears and Brave.
 
“I think that game gave us the result we deserved in the last game,” Petrie said. “Once again we have heavily outshot them in spite of a rocky start. Credit to the boys, they settled themselves, and that is our best game of the year.”
 
Brave Head Coach Josh Unice said it was a tough loss to take.
 
”I don’t know what to say right now,” Unice said. “We just need to be more consistent. We are most successful when we are physical and tonight it was just a weird game.”
 
“Tonight was very stop start with a lot of whistles. Last time we had the momentum and this week they did.”
 
The packed house in Newcastle were stunned in the early stages with Brave rookie forward Casey Kubara taking full advantage of a five-on-three power play, ending both penalties with goals to give the Brave a 2-0 lead less than two minutes into the match.
 
The North Stars seemed to be stunned into action with new import Josh Harris claiming the home side’s first points on the board, taking advantage of a strong screen to slot it from the point.
 
Just over two minutes later, in his last game for the club in 2016, Brandon Wong levelled the scores at 2-all with a deflection, the score it would be at the end of the first period.
 
With the game seemingly poised for another classic between the teams, the North Stars quickly gained the ascendency, something they wouldn’t relinquish for the remainder of the match.
 
The North Stars finished the game with 52 shots on goal, while the Brave managed 22.
 
The North Stars took the lead early in the second through Tim Stanger’s second goal of the season and didn’t look back.
 
Further goals to John Kennedy Jr. and Pat Nadin gave the North Stars a 5-2 lead at the end of the second.
 
The North Stars stepped on the gas again in the third period with 24 shots on goal in the final period.
 
The North Stars added two more goals through Connor McLaughlin, who beat two Brave defencemen before firing the goal top shelf, and Pat Nadin cleaning up a rebound for his second goal of the night.
 
17-year old Brave goalie Alex Tetreault was substituted into the game for the last 10 minutes, turning away all 12 shots on his net.
 
“He is the future of the Brave,” Unice said of the Australian U18 and U20’s goalie. “He has a bright, bright future and any minutes we can get him are important.”
 
Petrie said he was proud of the way his side performed, especially after falling behind early.
 
“One of the challenges they didn’t do last night was that they weren’t composing themselves and dealing with what was being thrown at them, and we had to intervene between the periods,” Petrie said. “I told them after the first period that after the first two or three minutes, they did it themselves, and I think that is a credit to the group and a credit to the leadership of the group.”
 
Both sides have a double header next week with the Brave hosting the North Stars at home on Saturday and Bears on Sunday. The North Stars return home on Sunday to face the Ice Dogs.