Northstars ride Mustangs to victory

A week off combined with new and returning personnel appears to have been just what the doctor ordered to revive the Newcastle Northstars this season.

The Northstars were back to their dominant selves on Saturday, June 10 when they hosted Melbourne Mustangs at Hunter Ice Skating Stadium.

A goal in the opening minutes of the game by new import Kale Kerbashian, who had only arrived in Australia Friday morning, gave Newcastle the lead over the Mustangs, which they did not relinquish all game.

The game ended 6-3 in the Northstars’ favour.

Kerbashian, who is only in Newcastle until the end of June, scored two goals and made two assists in his first Australian Ice Hockey League game.

“I was a little tired but we got by and we won, which is always nice,” Kerbashian said.

“I know that they [Northstars] have been struggling a bit but we have a chance to turn it around. The next five or six games are pretty big.”

The Canadian, 27, said he told the team not to have too many expectations about his performance in Saturday’s game, especially as he had not skated in almost a month and was jet-lagged.

However, Northstars coach Andrew Petrie said he felt Kerbashian had delivered in his Australian debut.

“All in all I was pretty impressed with the energy he had,” he said. “I’m pretty happy with what we got.”

Goals by Kerbashian and Pat Nadin, scored short-handed with 18 seconds left in period one, gave Newcastle a 2-0 lead before the first break.

The Mustangs struck first in the second period, but another Kerbashian goal and one from Newcastle import Matt Marantz gave the home side an uplifting 4-1 lead.

Northstars defensive import Felix Poulin kept the goals coming in the final period, scoring one to further the home side’s lead.

The Mustangs rallied after Poulin’s goal, and were able to score two to narrow the score line to 5-3.

But a final goal from fourth Northstars import Joe Harcharik sealed the game.

Jayson Chalker, who had been off the ice with an elbow injury since round two, appeared in Saturday’s game.

Defenceman John Kennedy Jr also made a return to the ice.

Kennedy had not played during the first half of the season due to family and work commitments.

Petrie said it was a relief to have more defencemen back in the roster, as that was one of the side’s weak areas this season.

“We had six defenseman to choose from tonight, the first time we’ve had more than four in nine games,” he said.

“It’s very encourage to look down the bench as a coach and have guys not red-faced and sweaty, begging not to be put back on the ice.

“But we still have a lot of work on.

“There’s defensive lapses occurring all over the ice. When you score six goals the errors aren’t as evident, but they’re still there.”

Petrie singled local player Liam Manwarring’s from Saturday’s game saying it was his “best game while wearing an AIHL jersey”.

Kerbashian, Harcharik and Poulin are expected to play in the 2017 Ice Hockey Classic (USA verse Canada) charity game at Hunter Ice Skating Stadium on Wednesday, June 14.

“I’ve been invited the last two summers to play in the USA verse Canada series, but I wasn’t able to because of circumstances, but this summer I was able to,” Kerbashian said.

The Northstars’ next game will be played at Macquarie Ice Rink against Sydney Ice Dogs on Friday, June 16.

They will face Sydney Bears at Macquarie on Sunday, June 18.