The Dauphin Kings extended their winning streak to six games before seeing it come to an end, this past weekend.
Havryil Simchuk scored the winner with 6:47 remaining in the third period to lift Dauphin to a 2-1 victory over the Selkirk Steelers, Saturday in Dauphin.
On Sunday, the Winkler Flyers scored a 4-0 win over the Kings to snap Dauphin’s winning streak.
Kings head coach and general manager Doug Hedley felt the Kings played well against the Steelers, playing with energy and creating some opportunities.
“I think we left them hanging around too long. If there’s one thing we could have done better, it could have been 3-1 or 4-1,” he said.
“We had a lot of opportunities. We still need to bear down around the net when we get opportunities and make teams pay for the mistakes they make.”
The important thing, Hedley added, is the players found a way to get things done and earn the two points.
The Kings started slow against Winkler, which was playing its third game in as many days after sweeping a pair in The Pas against the Blizzard.
The second half of the second period was penalty filled with Winkler getting four power plays.
“When you’re on your heels it’s tough to keep the bench in. It’s tough to get some momentum the other way,” Hedley said, adding if the Kings had scored on a five-on-three man advantage late in the second period with Winkler leading 3-0, they could have made it interesting in the third period.
“Our guys just didn’t bear down. They’re an aggressive team. You’ve got to give them credit. They’re playing hard. They’re fighting for their lives for a playoff spot with Selkirk right now in their division. But they’ve gotten a lot better,” he said.
“It’s too bad with two good teams on the ice like that they weren’t allowed to play.”
As frustrating as it was, Hedley said discipline starts with the coaches.
“We can’t control what the referees do. The players have got to play within the parameters they set, shut their mouth and play hockey,” he added.
Dauphin’s seven-game home stand continues Wednesday when they host the Virden Oil Capitals at 7 p.m.
Dauphin is seven points ahead of Virden in the standings, with the Oil Capitals having two games in hand by puck drop, after Virden hosts Selkirk on Tuesday.
On Saturday, the Winnipeg Blues are in town for a 7 p.m. date.
Ethan Stewart, who missed Sunday’s game as a precaution, left the team on Sunday to join Team Canada West at the Junior A World Challenge in Trois-Rivières, Que., Dec. 7 to 13.
Defenceman Ty Pratte has been cleared and should return to the lineup on Wednesday.
