Unbeaten in their first five games, the Newcastle Northstars have suffered back-to-back losses in a home double-header to fall into a three-game losing streak.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
One of the Australian Ice Hockey League's form sides in the opening rounds, the Northstars lost to Sydney Bears and Melbourne Mustangs at the weekend.
The 9-2 defeat to the Bears and 6-5 overtime loss to the Mustangs followed Newcastle's first loss of 2024, also in overtime and of the same score, to the Sydney Ice Dogs a week earlier.
Not even the early return from injury of skipper Liam Manwarring could prevent a blowout loss on Sunday.
The Bears, who had won six of their first seven games this season, proved why they have been among the competition's front-runners, trouncing the home side with a flurry of goals across the second and third periods. Newcastle had briefly led 3-2 in the second.
That defeat will have hurt, but the Northstars can hold their heads high after being narrowly pipped by the unbeaten defending champions, the Mustangs, in a thriller on Saturday night.
Newcastle were up 3-1 early in the second period, but the visitors scored four unanswered goals to enter the third stanza 4-3 in front.
The Northstars reclaimed the lead following goals from Beau Taylor and a second from outgoing import Aiden Wagner, but the Mustangs struck late to send the game into an extra period.
Next up, and after consecutive weekends of back-to-back games, Newcastle have just the one fixture next Saturday, travelling to Sydney to face the Ice Dogs.
