The Kenai River Brown Bears lost 2-1 in overtime to the host Minnesota Magicians on Friday in North American Hockey League action.
While the loss dropped the Bears to 0-10-2-0 on the season, Kenai River head coach Jeff Worlton said getting a point on the ice of the Midwest Division-leading Magicians (9-4-2-0) is a step in the right direction.
“We competed,” Worlton said. “We’re starting to make plays offensively and creating scoring chances, not just shots.
“It’s coming together. I feel positive. Things are going the right way.”
When goalie Connor Poczos left the team to go to school recently, the Bears acquired goalie Robbie Goor from the Austin (Minnesota) Bruins for a draft pick.
Goor had a successful debut Friday.
“Robbie played well,” Worlton said. “He battled and made the saves he had to, to try and help us win.”
Worlton anticipates a competition between goalies Bailey Seagraves and Goor that will help the team.
Another thing that has made the team better is the maturation of young defensemen. Of the eight defensemen on the roster, seven can return next year.
“They’re getting better, learning and taking advantage of the video we do,” Worlton said. “They didn’t make the mistakes today that they’d made in the past.
“They’re learning, but they’ve got a long way to go.”
A mistake cost the Bears the first goal of the game after the first two periods were scoreless.
Kenai River was late picking up a player getting out of the penalty box, leading to a goal 2 minutes, 25 seconds, into the third period.
“Previously, when we went down 1-0, our guys wouldn’t settle, but there would be a weight on their shoulders,” Worlton said. “Today, they kept pressing and believed they were going to score.”
The Bears pushed the game to overtime after opting for the extra attacker with just under two minutes to play.
Evan Butcher pushed the puck into space and Ethan Stewart finished with 45 seconds left.
Caleb Hite then scored 58 seconds into overtime for Minnesota.
Worlton said the final positive from the game was the Bears took only three penalties.
“That’s one thing the coaching staff has been trying to hammer through to the guys — you’ve gotta stay disciplined,” Worlton said.
The same two teams play at 4:05 p.m. today at the Richfield Ice Arena.
The Bears have traded Connor Inger to the Amarillo (Texas) Bulls for future considerations. Lucas Carroll, a forward recently cut by Austin, will take Inger’s place on the roster.
In some other shuffling since the Bears left town, defenseman Connor Nilson of Fairbanks and forwards Stewart and Luke Radetic have been added to the roster.
Friday
Magicians 2, Brown Bears 1, OT
Kenai River 0 0 1 0 —1
Minnesota 0 0 1 1 —2
First period — none. Penalties — Kenai River 1 for 2:00; Minnesota 1 for 2:00.
Second period — none. Penalties — Kenai River 1 for 2:00; Travis Brown 1 for 2:00.
Third period — 1. Minnesota, Siebenaler (Bump), 2:25; 2. Kenai River, Stewart (Butcher, Thielemann), 19:15. Penalties — Kenai River 1 for 2:00; Minnesota 1 for 2:00.
Shots on goal — Kenai River 4-3-7-0—14; Minnesota 10-9-10-2—31.
Goalies — Kenai River, Goor (31 shots, 29 saves); Minnesota, Prosuetov (14 shots, 13 saves).
Power plays — Kenai River 0 for 3; Minnesota 0 for 3.
