Late comeback falls short as U-16 Kings clipped by Minutemen

RISCO, Texas – A three-goal third period deficit proved too much to overcome as the Thunder Bay minor midget Kings fell 4-3 to the Valley Forge Minutemen in Round 3 play Saturday in North American Prospects Hockey League action in Frisco, Texas.

Valley Forge took a 2-1 lead after one period of play sandwiching markers around one by Thunder Bay’s Johnny McCollum.

The Minutemen added another in second stanza and once more early in the third, via the power play, to go up by three with under 16 minutes to play.

Battling back the Kings countered with a pair markers from Alex Pineau to edge closer, but the could not pick up the equalizer in the final eight minutes as they dropped their second game of the day, after an earlier 6-2 defeat at the Rocky Mountain RoughRiders.

Valley Forge held a big edge in shots, by a 41-15 count, with Thunder Bay goaltender Julien Lefebvre making 37 saves in a losing cause.

Sunday’s NAPHL slate has the U-16 Kings meeting Pursuit of Excellence from Kelowna, B.C., at 8 a.m. while major midgets meet the U-18 Nashville Jr. Predators at noon.

All NAPHL games are streamed online live and on demand at HockeyTV.com.