A third-period comeback wasn’t in the cards for the Twin City Thunder against the Islanders Hockey Club on Friday.

Islanders HC (4-4-0, 8 points) defeated the Thunder (4-5-1, 9 points) in a USPHL National Collegiate Development Conference game at the Skate 3 Ice Arena in Tyngsboro, Massachusetts.

“It’s starting to be a trend; the last three games guys haven’t shown up to play a full 60 minutes,” Thunder coach Dan Hodge said. “Our goaltender has been very good, and they have given us a chance to win — we aren’t clicking right now. It’s a young team with a lot of inexperienced players, but we got to be better. We got to play 60 minutes, but we aren’t doing that right now. ”

Ian Worthley beat Thunder goalie Nick Bernstein (24 saves) in the game’s first minute to put the Islanders up 1-0.

Midway through the second period, William Laychur’s goal stretched the Islanders’ lead to 2-0.

A few minutes later, defenseman Nolan Sargent put the Thunder on the board to cut the deficit to 2-1.

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Three minutes into the third period, Kadin Ilott scored to put the Islanders up 3-1.

“I thought we carried the play the first couple of minutes of the third period,” Hodge said. “We have one turnover, and they find (the back of the net). We tell the guys, ‘Turnovers will end up in the back of the net.’ It was a good shot from the point (past) some bodies, and it (went past Bernstein).”

Twin City defenseman Jack Anderson scored with two minutes remaining in the game, but the Thunder’s comeback bid ended there and was too little too late.

Bennett Jung stopped 30 shots for Islanders HC.

The Thunder host the Northern Cyclones on Saturday at Norway Savings Bank Arena at 7:30 p.m.

NEWS AND NOTES

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Hintz, who had an assist on both Thunder goals Friday, was named the NCDC North Division Defenseman of Week earlier this week for the second straight week.

Last week he had a goal and two assists in three games.

“Ryan has been great, and he has been our top (defenseman); he’s adding goals on the offensive side and (recording) assists,” Hodge said. “He’s real solid defensively. And he was in the USHL (in the preseason) with (the) Sioux City Muskateers, and he was really close to making that team.”

The Thunder added forward Lyncoln Bielenberg-Howarth to the roster and he appeared in his first game on Friday, recording no points. The Jamestown Rebels of the North American Hockey League released him on Oct. 15. He had an assist in four games with the Rebels.


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