Todd Howarth says it’s back to square one for the Thunder Bay North Stars.
Howarth’s statement was uttered Wednesday night, after his shorthanded squad showed little spark in a 5-1 loss to the visiting Minnesota Iron Rangers team that leapfrogged the Stars and took over fourth spot in the Superior International Junior Hockey League standings.
The Stars were without several top stars, including Dylan Mascarin and Trevor Hynnes, who were suspended a pair of games for their role in a pre-Christmas line brawl against the Minnesota Wilderness. Meanwhile goalie Jayme Brattengeier will sit for seven because of his role in the fight.
Regardless of who was in the lineup and who wasn’t, Howarth said it’s time for the team to grow up.
“They whine about everything and this group has been whining hard lately. They’ve got to work hard. If they don’t work hard, they’re not going to win. That’s the bottom line,” said Howarth after the loss, the Stars third in their past four meetings with the Iron Rangers.
“If they don’t work hard and do what they’re taught, they’re going to win one and they’re going to lose. And they’re going to win and they’re going to lose. Until they totally buy into it, they’re going to be in trouble.”
Howarth, who took over the team late in 2012 after the team parted ways with Kevin Kahoot, said it’s not up to him to save the season for the Stars, who fell to 17-15-1, a point behind the Iron Rangers.
That’s got to happen on the ice, he insisted.
“It’s not me salvaging it, it’s got to be the guys in the room salvaging it. It’s got to be work ethic. If they can all look in the mirror and say they worked hard tonight, then they’ve got problems.”
Second-string goaltender Joseph Lynch was the lone bright spot for the Stars, kicking aside 16 of 17 first-period shots, Minnesota’s Trevor Hoth the only Iron Ranger who managed to get one by him. The goal came with 1:36 left in the frame.
It was more of the same in the second for Lynch, who saw another 13 shots directed his way. Only Tyler Tuneberg, who one-timed a snap-shot off a pass from Hoth, found the back of the net at 12:43. The Stars countered with just three shots of their own in the period, though Mathias Gardiman was stymied on a wide-open chance late in the second.
Kyle Fink made it 3-0 less than two minutes into the third, beating Lynch on his glove-hand side.
The Stars finally got on the board, on the power play, some six minutes later, a strange play starting behind the Iron Rangers net that surprised Minnesota netminder Chase Hollander, not to mention the few hundred fans on hand to watch at Fort William Gardens.
Try as they might, the Stars just couldn’t creep any closer.
Luke Karakas and Miles Beason put it away late in the third to preserve the victory.
The Stars next play on Sunday in Duluth.
First period
Scoring: 1. Minnesota, Hoth (Haydock, Routheau) 18:24. Penalties: Haydock MIN (cross checking) 0:33,
Second period
Scoring: 2. Minnesota, Tuneberg (Hoth, Haydock) 12:43. Penalties: Beason MIN (holding) 17:13.
Third period
Scoring: 3. Minnesota, Fink (Gregory, Jacobson) 1:53. 4. Thunder Bay, Garbutt (Nigro, Gardiman) 7:40 pp. 5. Minnesota, Karakas (Dahquist, Holcombe) 14:23. 6. Minnesota, Beason (Lietz, Seiter) 17:00. Penalties: Howarth TB (tripping) 4:46, Routheau MIN (slashing) 6:01, Tuneberg MIN (delay of game) 8:47.
GAME DATA – SOG – Minnesota 17-13-6-36, Thunder Bay 8-3-8-19; Power plays (goals-chances) – Minnesota (0-1), Thunder Bay (1-4); Goaltenders – Minnesota: Chase Hollander, Thunder Bay: Joseph Lynch.
