It was a weekend to forget for the Parkland Rangers.

The Rangers dropped a pair of games to the Winnipeg Bruins, 7-1, on Saturday, and 8-1 on Sunday.

Both games were in Dauphin.

Rangers head coach Rick Freese said penalties were costly as the Bruins scored six power-play goals in 19 chances.

“You’re not going to beat the best team in the league when you’re shorthanded for 26 minutes. You’ve got to stay out of the penalty box,” he said.

“Five-on-five, we’re right there with them. But we’ve got to be unselfish and stay out of the box. Our penalty killers can only do so much.”

Now riding a three-game losing streak, Parkland sits in eighth place with a 16-11-4-0 record, but they are one point behind the Pembina Valley Hawks and three back of the Southwest Cougars.

The Rangers embark on an important week, where they face teams around them in the standings, beginning Tuesday in Shoal Lake against the Yellowhead Chiefs.

On Friday, the Rangers host the Interlake Lightning at 7:30 p.m. Then they hit the road for a pair of games against Pembina Valley in Morden, Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

Freese said this is a big week coming up for the Rangers against teams they need to play well against.

For the full story, read this week’s edition of the Dauphin Herald.