Chris Clegg
NPHL.com Writer
Make it 15 straight regular season losses for the High Prairie Regals in Falher.
HP lost a hard-fought, penalty-filled contest 6-5 Dec. 6 to remain winless in nine starts this season.
HP, however, keeps coming close. They have lost two games by one goal, and other games in overtime and a shootout as they look to break through with their first win.
Dallas Brochu scored twice for Falher while Darren Kramer, Jay Anderson, Jeff Chalifoux and Brian Sommers added other others.
Lloyd AhKimNachie and Drake Cunningham each scored twice for HP, while Kirk Ruecker added the other.
HP led 2-0 in the first period on goals from AhKimNachie and Cunningham, but Brochu pulled the Pirates to within one goal only 22 seconds after Cunningham’s goal made it 2-0.
In the second, Ah-KimNachie made it 3-1. After that, the Pirates rallied to take a 4-3 lead by the end of the period on goals from Brochu, Chalifoux and Kramer.
In the third, Cunningham tied the game 4-4 with a short-handed goal at 3:22.
However, just past the midway point of the period, the Pirates got goals from Anderson and Sommers in a 1:15 span and Falher led 6-4.
Ruecker’s goal with 4:53 left pulled HP to within one goal but they couldn’t equalize.
Falher has won both meetings this season. The teams play the next two Thursdays.
HP is 0-5 when scoring first this season and dropped to a league worst -24 in goals for and against in the second period this season.
HP has not won in Falher since 2010.
Regals 5 at Pirates 6
Thursday, Dec. 6
First period
1. HP, Lloyd AhKimNachie 4 (Ira Gladue, Chris LeGresley) 7:31 (pp)
2. HP, Drake Cunningham 3 (Lloyd AhKimNachie) 11:02
3. FAL, Dallas Brochu 10 (unassisted) 11:24
Penalties: Koltin Caron FAL (hooking) 5:58, Lawrence Anderson HP (slashing) 13:46.
Second period
4. HP, Lloyd AhKimNachie 5 (Austin Doan) 00:39
5. FAL, Dallas Brochu 11 (Darren Kramer) 6:46
6. FAL, Jeff Chalifoux 3 (Darren Brochu, Kevin Monfette) 7:38
7. FAL, Darren Kramer 12 (Jay Bouchard, Darren Brochu) 11:17
Penalties: Claude Cunningham HP (hooking) and Jamie MacMinn HP and Jeff Chalifoux FAL (unsportsmanlike) Rocky Collins FAL (slashing) 8:50, Jamie MacMinn HP (interference) 16:55, Pirate’s bench minor (too many men, served by Dakota Mason) 18:05, Austin Doan HP (hooking) 20:00.
Third period
8. HP, Drake Cunningham 4 (unassisted) 3:22 (sh)
9. FAL, Jay Anderson 4 (Pat Rowan, Jay Bouchard) 11:56
10. FAL, Brian Sommers 9 (Dakota Mason) 13:11
11. HP, Kirk Ruecker 1 (Claude Cunningham, Luc L’Hirondelle) 15:07
Penalties: Lloyd AhKimNachie HP (cross-checking) 00:46, Damian Cardinal HP (slashing) 2:20, Drake Cunningham HP (match penalty for slew-footing) and Lloyd AhKimNachie HP and Lawrence Anderson HP and Brian Sommers FAL and Dylan Cunningham FL (misconducts) and Rollie Glade FAL (tripping) 15:47.
Shots on goal:
High Prairie 11 7 12 -30
Falher 17 6 19 -42 Goaltenders: Regals, Matt MacMinn; Pirates, Kent Ryan.
Power Plays: HP 1-2; FAL 0-7.
Penalties in Minutes: HP 39; FAL 30.