Cloquet/Esko/Carlton emerged victorious in a tightly contested game against Proctor, winning by a score of 4-3. The game was marred by penalties, with both teams racking up over 15 minutes in the box.
Cloquet/Esko/Carlton started strong, taking a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals from Ethan Kilichowski and Bobby Thornton. Proctor responded in the second period with a power play goal from Carson Pavlowich, but Cloquet/Esko/Carlton extended their lead again early in the third period through Karson Young.
Proctor wasn’t done yet, and they mounted a comeback with goals from Austin Bryant and Tanner Ross to tie the game at 3-3. However, Cloquet/Esko/Carlton had the final say, with Niko Gentilini scoring the game-winning goal on the power play with just under two minutes remaining.
Despite the loss, Proctor outshot Cloquet/Esko/Carlton 29-34 and went 1-for-5 on the power play, while their opponents were 1-for-8. The difference ultimately came down to penalties, with Cloquet/Esko/Carlton capitalizing on their power play opportunities while Proctor struggled to stay disciplined.
Bagley/Fosston emerged victorious in a thrilling 4-3 game against Wadena-Deer Creek. Despite being outshot 34-39, Bagley/Fosston’s efficient offense and key goals from Gage Gunderson and Conner Nelson, both of whom scored two goals each, propelled them to victory. Wadena-Deer Creek fought valiantly, with Nicholas Wright contributing two assists, and even took the lead in the second period, but ultimately couldn’t overcome Bagley/Fosston’s offensive firepower and their ability to convert on scoring opportunities. While penalties played a minor role, Bagley/Fosston’s disciplined play and clutch scoring proved to be the deciding factor in this tightly contested matchup.
Southwest Christian/Richfield fought valiantly but ultimately succumbed to Delano in a 4-3 overtime loss. Despite outshooting Delano 28-32, Southwest Christian/Richfield couldn’t find the equalizer in the extra period after Mason Hargarten’s game-winning goal for Delano.
Tate Hardacre gave Southwest Christian/Richfield an early lead in the first period, but Delano responded with goals from Bryce Peterson and Markus Kangas to take a 2-1 lead into the second period. Christian Greer and Owen Zick then rallied Southwest Christian/Richfield with two goals in the second period to regain the lead.
However, Delano refused to give in and Jake Heinzen tied the game at 3 apiece early in the third period. The score remained deadlocked through the rest of regulation, forcing the game into overtime.
In overtime, Mason Hargarten capitalized on a scoring opportunity just 2 minutes in, securing the 4-3 victory for Delano.
Both teams were evenly matched in power plays, failing to convert on any of their opportunities. However, Delano took advantage of their penalty calls, capitalizing on Southwest Christian/Richfield’s penalties in the second and third periods.
This was a close and exciting game that could have gone either way. Ultimately, Delano’s ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities and their strong performance in overtime proved to be the difference in the game.
