The last time the Power lost a game, there were still Christmas presents under your tree. The Bears were still in the Super Bowl hunt. There was still a Soviet Union.
On Monday, the Power`s 10-game winning streak ended with an 11-9 loss to the Canton Invaders at the Memorial Civic Center. It was the first loss for the defending National Professional Soccer League champions since Dec. 13.
A sixth-attacker goal by Tommy Isirov with 57 seconds left in regulation time brought the Power within a goal of tying Monday`s game, but Canton held on to win.
”We had plenty of opportunities,” said Power player-coach Pato Margetic. ”But (Canton goalie) Jamie Swanner is probably the best in our league.”
The 6-foot-4-inch Swanner made 16 saves to best the Power`s Russ Prince in a battle of the league`s hottest goalkeepers. Prince, who is the only goalie on the Power`s active roster, was making his eighth consecutive start. Canton`s six goals were evenly distributed among six players. The Invaders (13-8) got two-pointers from Clark Brisson, Kia, Ken Pryor, Mike Gosselin and Dick McCormick, plus a one-point shootout goal from Oscar Pisano. Defender Ed Puskarich had two goals for the Power, including a 50-foot three-pointer in the first quarter. Recently signed forward Ken Snow also scored for the defending National Professional Soccer League champs.
The Power finished the first half of its 40-game regular-season schedule with 15 wins and 5 losses, the best mark in the NPSL.
