It is unfamiliar territory when the Parkland ice hockey team experiences a loss in Lehigh Valley Scholastic Ice Hockey League play. But that happened earlier this season back in October, and the team that gave the Trojans their first league loss in years was staring at them across the ice again Monday evening.

And once again Freedom got the better of Parkland, scoring five unanswered goals in the third period to take down the Trojans 5-1 last Monday night at Lehigh Valley Ice Arena.

“The key in the third period was that we just stopped moving our feet,” said Koby Staivecki. “We gave them time and space and you can’t give good teams time and space. In the first two periods, we were able to take that time and space away and we didn’t allow them to do anything offensively. We eventually got worn out and they were able to capitalize on a couple mistakes that we made.”

After Parkland (8-2 overall, 16 points) scored the first goal of the game via Zach Averill on assists by Matt Zager and Timothy Boyer, it was mostly a defensive battle between the top-two teams in the LVSHL.

“Freedom is a good team,” said Staivecki. “You can’t take that away from them. Their roster is full of talent, from top to bottom. We just gotta play hard against them and hopefully we see them again in the LVSHL Championship.”

After the Trojans scored the opener, it was assumed they would hold on as they usually do. Even after a scoreless remaining 2:55 of the first period and then all 16 minutes of the second period, all signs pointed toward Parkland holding on.

But this season has been different, as shows with Freedom’s earlier 3-0 victory over Parkland back on Oct. 22.

It is unfamiliar territory for the Trojans, which have won the past eight LVHSL titles. They have six regular season games left to play before another potential long postseason run.

“We do not lose often, so it is kind of an unfamiliar place,” Staivecki said. “There is no harm in it at all though. This loss will help motivate us at upcoming practices and games. It will help us want to get better, knowing that we are no longer the first-place team. We have a little break here with the holidays, but after that we will come out and finish the regular season strong and carry that momentum into the playoffs.”

Parkland is off for a holiday break and will be back out on the ice on Friday, Jan. 4 against Northampton at Lehigh Valley Ice Arena.