Miners winless streak reaches 7, as they lose to Ronin.

CANADIAN PRESS (Victoria, BC)

Ronin forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins led the way with two goals and an assist, as the Victoria Ronin downed the visiting Sudbury Miners 5-2 on Thursday night.  With the loss, the Miners winless streak now reaches 7 games.

Chris Kreider also scored for Victoria, notching his 10th of the season.  Jacob Trouba and Alex Radulov had the other markers. Brian Elliott stopped 23 of the 25 shots he faced.

Victoria struck early and mounted a 2-0 lead just 2:18 into the game, on goals by Kreider and Trouba.  Anthony Duclair, with his first of the season, would pull one back for the Miners before Radulov would score on the power play and give the Ronin a 3-1 lead after one.

The wide-open second period would see both teams generate numerous Grade A scoring chances, and by the end of the period, they would trade goals by Nugent-Hopkins and Philip Danault respectively.   The game would be put on ice in the third, as Nugent-Hopkins with his second goal of the game, on the power play, sealed the win for the Ronin.

Miners goaltender Jake Allen would make 20 saves in the loss and it’s clear that the current winless streak is starting to wear on him.

“We continue to be inconsistent, and that's the worst thing you want from a team because it gives you hope," Allen said. "Obviously we still believe in each other. We know what we're capable of doing. We just have too many letdowns, and that's about being mentally tough."

The Miners have little time to think about this loss, as they start Intra-Conference play on Friday night as they travel to Portland to take on the Owls.  Game time at The Nest is 7:00pm.


MINERS NUGGETS

- Winger Tobias Rieder suffered a thumb injury mid-way through the third period and had to leave the game.  The injury is not severe and he is expected back in the lineup on Friday night.

- With the two power-play goals against last night, the Miners penalty kill has now dropped to second in the CCHL.

- Coach Derek Sutton indicated that he will turn to Ben Bishop to try and stop the winless streak on Friday night versus the Portland Owls.