On a zippy evening at the Rickard Barn, the Newcastle Stars went full throttle in a barnburner against the Kawartha Coyotes. Kicking off at 6:23 PM, the home squad lit the lamp with a hefty 4-1 win.
The puck dropped with the Stars' Tender, #31 Carter Collins, stonin' shots like a boss right outta the gate. Early on, Collins was flashin' the leather, setting the rink on fire. Defensive wizardry sparkled when #16 Greyson Rutherford stayed at home to crush a 2-on-1 rush, showing off his hockey IQ. #17 Bruin Watson, buzzing like a bee, manufactured turnover after turnover in the neutral zone, throwin' the Coyotes off their game. As the first frame wound down, #88 Carter Lowery was a wall on D, snatching the biscuit in a clutch moment.
The Kawartha Coyotes hit a snag, getting boxed for a head contact sin-bin stint by player #58, just before the first break.
Come the second stanza, the Stars kept hammerin'. A barrage of rubber from Gage King, Greyson Rutherford, Carter Hutchison, and Colin Wood kept the heat cranked. The pressure paid off and the Stars struck gold when #10 Gage King sniped one, off a nifty cross-ice apple from #98 Carter Hutchison. The squad kept pressin', with Dustin MacDonald and Lou Civello houndin' the Coyotes' in their zone setting up #17 Bruin Watson to unleash a silky backhand in the slot, only to see it sail bar north off the tender's breadbasket.
Not missing a beat, #31 Carter Collins stoned a greasy shot coming in at an odd angle, keeping the Coyotes at bay. Archer Scott then blazed a coast-to-coast, ringing the iron with a laser that nearly lit the lamp. Zachary Mercier, playing plumber, hustled to pinch the biscuit, setting up Colin Wood and Ethan Leerschool to grind in the offensive zone.
A hiccup followed when #16 Greyson Rutherford was sent to the sin-bin for interference. As the seconds ticked down, Carter and Gage almost connected on a tic-tac-toe play, sniffing at a top cheese chance. Wrapping up the period #91, The Baconator, was all greased up, serving backchecks hard and fast, embodying the Stars' relentless hustle right to the buzzer.
In the final frame, the Stars kept the throttle open with Carter Hutchison burying one top shelf, following his own rebound. Tendy Carter Collins, ever solid, came up big during a Kawartha scramble. #17 Bruin Watson and #27 Grayson Malloy were all over the ice, keeping the pressure and maintaining puck possession for Newcastle. Guarding the backdoor GreyGreyRutz stood tall on D for a second time, making quick work of a Kawartha 3-on-1.
Late in the third, the Stars' chemistry sparkled when Hutchison and Archer Scott teamed up for a prime scoring chance and then shortly afterwards Carter Collins made a big save, keeping the Coyotes at bay. Ethan Leerschool then found the twine with a top shelf snipe, thanks to a slick pass from Eastyn Bacon and Colin Wood. Dustin MacDonald played hard on the boards, winning battles and maintaining Newcastle possession.
A minor setback came when Carter Lowery got a tripping call, but Collins was clutch on the penalty kill, making key saves. Also on the PK the absolutely fearless Owen Leerschool stepped in front of a big shot, showcasing his defensive grit and larger than life presence.
The Stars' D held strong down the stretch, not giving Kawartha any room to operate. Coulson Tello and Ethan Leerschool continued to grind, battling hard against the boards as the game neared its end.
Riding high on a hot streak, the Newcastle Stars have cranked up their record to a sizzling 6-2-1, not dropping a single game in their last four showdowns. Major kudos to the bench bosses, whose razor-sharp strategies and top-notch coaching have been the secret sauce behind this winning recipe.
Till next time, keep your stick on the ice 🏒 and hockey in your heart ❤️
- Tucker "Top Shelf" McCallister