Sports
20 NEEPAWA BANNER & PRESS
NOVEMBER 8, 2019
Highet a highlight of the night for Neepawa Natives
By Eoin Devereux
Neepawa Banner & Press
You can say one thing for sure about this year’s edition of the Neepawa Natives; this is a team that refuses to give up on any game. One other thing you could probably say about this same squad is that on many a night, it feels as though luck is not on their side. Sunday, Nov. 3 was a classic example of this ongoing dynamic, as Neepawa put in an outstanding performance against the Winkler Flyers, but were not rewarded equally for that effort, falling 6-5 in a shootout. The game was defined by a pair of impressive performances for the Neepawa Natives by Will Highet and Eli Lieffers. The pair closed out the game by tabulating five points apiece. Highet put up a four goal night, with one assist. On the flip-side, line-mate Lieffers had a goal and four assists. Neepawa Natives head coach/general manager Ken Pearson said the duo,
PHOTO BY EOIN DEVEREUX
Pictured:Neepawa Natives forward Will Highet (77) scoring his third goal of the game versus the Winkler Flyers in the third period on Sunday, Nov.3 . Highet would add a fourth goal a few minutes later to cap off a five point night (4 goals - 1 assist). Unfortunately, it was Winkler who would win the game, beating Neepawa 6-5 in a shootout.
along with Cam Morris, had a great night. “It was nice to see Will [Highet] have a big game. Him, Eli [Lieffers] and Cam Morris played real well for us tonight. It’s nice to see those guys get better as the game went along,” noted Pearson. “It’s just un-
fortunate that we, as a team, couldn’t get the win. It feels as though we left an extra point on the table there. It would have been nice to secure the extra point in the standings.” The primary reason for Neepawa not securing the two points could be directly
contributed to the play of Winkler goaltender Dorrin Luding. Though the game sheet would show only 25 saves by Luding, several of those came from shots that on any other night, would have been guaranteed goals. It included what could be described as a
highlight reel save, with just 30 seconds left in overtime, that had the Natives players, coaches and fans shaking their heads in disbelief. Pearson said running up against a goaltender that’s in the zone happens from time to time. He added that there were a few oppor-
tunities they weren’t able to take advantage of, and that made all the difference. The Winkler Flyers outshot Neepawa 34-30. The Natives ended the game going 2-for-6 on the powerplay and a perfect 5-for-5 on the penalty kill. An estimated 326 fans were in attendance to watch this incredible, action packed game. With the loss, Neepawa Natives’ regular season record stands at 3-14-1, two points back of the Winnipeg Blues in the overall standings. The upcoming week will be a busy one for Neepawa, as the club played a game in Steinbach on Wednesday, Nov. 6. That game’s end result concluded after the Banner & Press publication deadline had passed. The next home games at the Yellowhead Arena in Neepawa will include hosting the Virden Oil Capitals on Friday, Nov. 8 and a Remembrance Day matinee versus the Portage Terriers on Monday, Nov. 11. The start time for that game has been scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
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