Eden Prairie Eagles soared to a decisive 4-1 victory over the Prior Lake Lakers. The Eagles wasted no time asserting their dominance, with Cole Saterdalen finding the net just minutes into the first period. Chase Klute added another in the second, extending the lead and putting the Lakers on their heels.
The third period belonged to Billie Jacobson-Couch, who stole the show with a dazzling two-goal performance in quick succession. His goals further widened the Eagles’ advantage, leaving Prior Lake desperately searching for a response. They finally managed to break the shutout late in the game through Matthew Pavek, but it was a mere consolation prize, coming far too late to mount a real comeback.
Throughout the game, Eden Prairie kept their foot on the gas, outshooting the Lakers 28 to 23. They also remained disciplined, only taking one penalty. Prior lake failing to capitalize on their lone powerplay opportunity.
Robbinsdale Armstrong/Cooper Skates Past Hopkins in Wild Offensive Battle
Robbinsdale Armstrong/Cooper (RAC) unleashed a six-goal offensive flurry to sink Hopkins 6-2 in a penalty-riddled showdown. Both teams traded power plays throughout the game, with Hopkins struggling to convert on any of their five opportunities, while RAC managed to sneak one past the keeper during their short-handed chance.
RAC got on the board early with Brady Northrup opening the scoring just 1:39 into the game. They doubled their lead in the first period courtesy of Lewis Majkozak, putting the Royals on their heels. The second period saw more of the same offensive fireworks, with RAC adding two more goals through Charlie Goergen and Dawson Franke before Hopkins finally responded with goals from William Degan and Bo Stevens. However, RAC’s Logan Gatti silenced the Hopkins crowd with a short-handed tally right before the second intermission.
The third period was tightly contested, but RAC managed to put the nail in the coffin with goals from Tanner Rausch and Gatti, sealing the 6-2 victory. Despite Hopkins outshooting RAC 28-34, they were ultimately undone by their penalty troubles and RAC’s opportunistic offense. The Royals took 20 minutes in penalties over the course of the game, compared to RAC’s 12, and while both teams struggled on the power play, RAC capitalized on their one successful conversion to make the difference.
In a game filled with offensive fireworks and penalty drama, Spring Lake Park skated away with a narrow 5-4 victory over St. Paul Highland Park. Both teams displayed impressive firepower, with Spring Lake Park peppering the net with 37 shots compared to Highland Park’s 17. However, it was Spring Lake Park’s efficiency on the power play that proved to be the difference maker.
Spring Lake Park struck first with Ian Roell finding the net early in the first period. Highland Park quickly responded through Will Warner, but Spring Lake Park regained the lead via a Teddy Wackman power-play goal before the period ended. The second stanza saw more goals traded, with Anders Hollen and Isaac Johnson scoring for Spring Lake Park and St. Paul, respectively, keeping the score tight at 3-2 for Spring Lake Park heading into the final period.
The decisive third period was a rollercoaster of emotions. Highland Park pulled ahead 4-3 early on thanks to goals from Drew Lindquist and Dylan Stocke. However, Highland Park’s momentum was derailed by a Benny Waud power-play goal for St. Paul, tying the game at 4-4. With just over three minutes remaining, Isaac Johnson delivered the game-winning goal for Highland Park, securing their thrilling victory.
Despite outshooting Spring Lake Park, St. Paul Highland Park’s eight penalties proved to be costly. They struggled to convert on their two power-play opportunities, while Spring Lake Park capitalized on one of their four chances. Ultimately, Spring Lake Park’s opportunistic offense and efficient power play proved to be the key ingredients in their narrow win, while St. Paul Highland Park will need to tighten up their penalty discipline and improve their conversion rate on the man-advantage if they want to be victorious in their future encounters.
Gentry Academy Holds Off Park of Cottage Grove in Gritty 4-1 Victory
Gentry Academy weathered a late surge from Park of Cottage Grove to secure a hard-fought 4-1 victory in a defensive battle. While Park outshot Gentry by a significant margin (27-17), Gentry’s efficient offense and timely goals proved to be the difference.
Gentry wasted no time establishing their dominance, with Ryland Rooney finding the net just 58 seconds into the game. Quinn O’Connor added another goal in the first period, putting Gentry firmly in control at 2-0. The second period was a scoreless stalemate, with both teams playing tight defense and struggling to generate quality scoring chances.
The third period saw the game come alive. Gentry extended their lead to 3-0 through Ryder Betzold, but Park finally broke through with a goal from Malachi McMorrow, putting the Wolves back in the game. However, Gentry quickly responded with another goal from Eli Bailey, putting the game out of reach.
Despite Park’s late push, Gentry held firm defensively and secured the victory. Gentry’s 40% conversion rate on power plays (1 for 2) compared to Park’s 0% (0 for 2) was a significant factor in the outcome. Additionally, Gentry’s ability to capitalize on their early goals and maintain composure during Park’s late surge proved crucial in securing the win.
This victory marks Gentry’s seventh win of the season, solidifying their position as a top contender in the league. Park, on the other hand, will need to find ways to improve their offensive efficiency and tighten up their defense if they want to compete with the top teams.
