Gutsy Adrenaline Fall Just Short Against Bright North Stars

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In a crucial Saturday afternoon contest, the Adelaide Adrenaline fell just short of the mark against the league-leading Newcastle North Stars.
 
Despite the Adrenaline putting in their most consistent and solid all-round performance of the season, the North Stars showed just why they are the team to beat this season, wearing down the home side to eventually secure a 5-3 victory.
 
Adrenaline Coach, Ryan O’Handley lamented his side’s inability to convert scoring chances but praised the effort in what was a tight affair
 
“We played a good hockey game, we couldn’t bury [goals] when we had our opportunities and they were able to capitalise on some chances in the third period and that was the difference in the game,” O’Handley said.
 
If anything was in question about the contest, it certainly wasn’t the intent from either side in what was a spirited and high quality encounter.
 
As has been the theme of late, the Adrenaline once again started strongly applying a lot of early pressure in the opening minutes of the game.
 
However, it was an opportunistic North Stars that opened the scoring on a odd man rush, with Scott Swinson sliding a tidy finish past Adrenaline goalie Charlie Smart.
 
With their season on the line, the home side lifted, adding three goals in as many minutes to catapult themselves to a 3-1 lead halfway through the first period.
 
The North Stars found themselves a lucky second goal, after Kory Helowka slid a puck past his own goalie to bring the game back to 3-2.
 
The second period was highlighted by solid defensive play from both sides, as the teams look to lock down the game after a free scoring opening period.
 
Neither team managed a goal in the middle frame, despite the Adrenaline directing a massive 14 shots at North Stars goalie Dayne Davis.
 
An early third period power-play to the visitors saw their leading man Geordie Wudrick finally stamp his authority on the game with a deadly wrist-shot over the shoulder of Adrenaline goalie, Charlie Smart to level the game, 3-3.
 
The North Stars added another late goal as well as an empty netter to Wudrick to seal the affair 5-3.
 
Despite the loss making the finals equation that much harder for the Adrenaline, who still sit five points adrift of the fourth placed CBR Brave, O’Handley said his side was simply focusing on the next game and not looking up at the standings.
 
“I’ve been around this league long enough to know that you can’t look at the standings, we’ve got games in hand but if you start looking up at the standings and worrying about it, you’re going to find yourself out,” O’Handley said.
 
The Adrenaline will need to put their heads down and re-focus with both sides set to meet again Sunday at 3.30PM at the Thebarton Ice Arena.
 
Tickets available online via: www.trybooking.com/GYNB