The Section 8AA battle between Roseau and Bemidji went down to the wire last night, culminating in a 4-3 overtime victory for the Bemidji Lumberjacks!
A scoreless first and second period set the stage for a tightly contested match. Both teams had their chances on the power play, but neither could break the deadlock.
The third period exploded with goals:
6:01: #2 Austin Coe opened the scoring for Bemidji with a power-play goal, assisted by #7 Joey Fankhanel and #18 Stonewall Gessner.
8:32: Roseau quickly responded with an even-strength tally from #9 Gavin Jensen, assisted by #17 Bradyn Thingvold.
11:29: Bemidji retook the lead through #20 Noah Mannausau’s even-strength goal, set up by #9 Briggs Knott and #14 Benjamin O’Leary.
12:22: Just as quickly, Roseau tied the game again thanks to #14 Noah Urness’s clutch even-strength effort.
Overtime proved to be the stage for Bemidji’s hero:
7:00: With just seconds remaining, #22 Griffin Dewar received a pass from #2 Austin Coe and #7 Joey Fankhanel and slid the puck past the Roseau goalie to secure the 4-3 victory for Bemidji in overtime!
Game Statistics:
Power Plays: Bemidji capitalized on their power play opportunities, scoring once out of four chances (25.0%), while Roseau couldn’t convert any of their three power play chances.
Shots on Goal: Bemidji led in shots on goal with a total of 40 (7 in the 1st, 13 in the 2nd, 15 in the 3rd, and 5 in OT) compared to Roseau’s 30 (6 in the 1st, 12 in the 2nd, 9 in the 3rd, and 3 in OT).
Penalties: The game was physical, with Roseau accumulating 10 penalty minutes on 5 infractions and Bemidji 8 minutes on 4 infractions.
Last night’s clash between Park Rapids and Red Lake Falls in overtime hockey was a rollercoaster ride of goals, penalties, and drama! Here’s the recap:
Park Rapids 5
Red Lake Falls 4
A close opening salvo: Both teams traded goals in the first period, with Park Rapids’ #24 Jeron Pinoniemi answering quickly after Red Lake Falls’ #11 Brock Seeger struck first. This set the stage for a nail-biting battle.
Red Lake Falls takes the lead in the second: The Eagles powered up in the second with two goals, courtesy of #17 Gavin Girdler on the power play and #18 Riley Broden at even strength. Park Rapids fought back with #14 Joshua Hillukka’s even-strength equalizer, keeping the score within reach.
Third period sees lead changes and late drama: Red Lake Falls regained the lead early in the third with #14 Coby Knott’s goal, but Park Rapids refused to back down. #7 Finn Henry converted on a power play opportunity, and just as fans thought the game might be headed for overtime, #24 Jeron Pinoniemi struck again with a clutch even-strength goal to tie the game at 4-4 with just over three minutes remaining!
Overtime brings the winner: With tension at an all-time high, Park Rapids wasted no time in extra time. Just six minutes into OT, #10 Talen May, assisted by #7 Finn Henry and #14 Joshua Hillukka, found the net, securing a thrilling 5-4 victory for the Panthers!
Game Stats:
Power Plays: Both teams capitalized on their power plays, with Park Rapids scoring 1 out of 4 (25.0%) and Red Lake Falls 1 out of 5 (20.0%).
Shots on Goal: Park Rapids led in shots with 33 (10 in the 1st, 6 in the 2nd, 11 in the 3rd, 6 in OT) compared to Red Lake Falls’ 24 (5 in the 1st, 10 in the 2nd, 5 in the 3rd, 4 in OT).
Penalties: The game was intense, with Park Rapids accumulating 22 penalty minutes on 7 infractions and Red Lake Falls 13 minutes on 5 infractions.
Southwest Christian Richfield 6
Blake 3
In a dramatic and action-packed boys’ hockey game, Southwest Christian/Richfield staged an impressive comeback to defeat Blake with a final score of 6-3. The game was a tale of two halves, with Blake initially leading but Southwest Christian/Richfield turning the tables in the third period. Here’s how the game unfolded:
Game Summary:
First Period:
Southwest Christian/Richfield opened the scoring at 3:37 with Jared Greiner netting a goal, assisted by Tate Hardacre and Kael Lundquist.
Blake responded at 11:12, equalizing the score with a goal from Oliver Duininck, assisted by Joe Erickson, making it 1-1.
Second Period:
Blake took the lead early in the second period, with Joe Erickson scoring just 20 seconds in, assisted by Oliver Duininck.
Southwest Christian/Richfield evened the score again at 6:48 with a goal from Paul Hornor, assisted by Christian Greer and Kael Lundquist.
Blake regained the lead at 16:07 with Landon Bell scoring, assisted by Eli Crosby, ending the period 3-2 in favor of Blake.
Third Period:
The final period was dominated by Southwest Christian/Richfield. They tied the game at 7:58 with a goal from Eli Hoffman.
Kaden Feltmann then took center stage for Southwest Christian/Richfield, scoring three consecutive goals at 9:24, 11:24 (on a power play), and an empty net goal at 16:54, with assists from Jared Greiner, Eli Hoffman, and Tate Hardacre.
Key Game Statistics:
Power Plays: Southwest Christian/Richfield was more effective with power plays, scoring 1 out of 2 (50.0%), while Blake failed to capitalize on any of their four power play opportunities.
Shots on Goal: Blake led in shots with 39 (11 in the 1st, 15 in the 2nd, 13 in the 3rd) compared to Southwest Christian/Richfield’s 36 (16 in the 1st, 9 in the 2nd, 11 in the 3rd).
Penalties: Blake incurred 6 minutes on 3 infractions, while Southwest Christian/Richfield had 10 minutes on 5 infractions.
Conclusion:
The game was a showcase of resilience and determination, particularly from Southwest Christian/Richfield, who overturned a deficit in the third period with a remarkable offensive surge. Kaden Feltmann’s hat-trick was a highlight, proving pivotal in securing the win for his team. For Blake, despite a strong start and leading the game into the second period, they couldn’t maintain their momentum against the relentless pressure from Southwest Christian/Richfield.
Holy Family 3
Eastview 1
A night of defensive dominance erupted into a late-game offensive volcano for the Holy Family Fire as they outlasted Eastview 3-1 in a tightly contested affair. Despite struggling on the power play themselves, the Fire capitalized on two man-advantage opportunities in the second period to build a seemingly insurmountable lead, before Kevin Woehler’s late tally for Eastview ignited a tense final stretch.
Game Overview:
First Period:
The opening period set the tone for a defensive battle. Both teams played cautiously, with Eastview managing 5 shots on goal and Holy Family 11. However, neither team was able to break through the opposition’s defense, leaving the score at 0-0.
Second Period:
Holy Family shifted gears in the second period, capitalizing on power play opportunities. The first goal came at 4:02, with Holden Pajor finding the net, assisted by Drew Roelofs and Carson Moe.
Continuing their power play prowess, Holy Family extended their lead to 2-0 at 7:12. Bryce Wiitala scored, again assisted by Carson Moe and this time by Connor Crowley.
Third Period:
Eastview showed signs of a comeback with Kevin Woehler scoring at 13:22, assisted by Cam Roth and Billy Downs, narrowing the gap to 2-1.
However, Holy Family’s Connor Crowley dashed these hopes with a goal at 16:22, assisted by Erik Charchenko and Holden Pajor, sealing the game at 3-1.
Key Game Statistics:
Power Plays: Holy Family’s efficiency on the power play was a critical factor in their victory, scoring 2 out of 3 (66.67%). In contrast, Eastview struggled with their power play, failing to score in four attempts.
Shots on Goal: Holy Family led slightly in shots, with 27 in total (11 in the 1st, 8 in the 2nd, 8 in the 3rd) compared to Eastview’s 23 (5 in the 1st, 8 in the 2nd, 10 in the 3rd).
Penalties: The game was marked by a fair number of penalties, with Eastview incurring 10 minutes on 5 infractions and Holy Family 12 minutes on 6 infractions.
