The East Grand Forks Green Wave will host the Detroit Lakes Lakers on Tuesday, January 7, at 7:00 PM at the East Grand Forks Civic Center.
East Grand Forks Green Wave (6-6-1, 2-0-0 Mariucci Conference)
The Green Wave, led by veteran Head Coach Tyler Palmiscno, are coming off a hard-fought 4-2 loss to St. Thomas Academy. With their .500 record, East Grand Forks averages 3.00 goals per game while allowing 3.08. Their penalty kill is solid at 78.8%, but their power play (17.9%) has room for improvement.
The offense is led by forward Hunter Varnson, who has 17 points on the season. Tucker Lovejoy is the team’s top goal-scorer with 8 goals, while Cooper Hills (14 points) and Jace Van Eps (12 points) provide depth. In net, goalie Noah Schindele has been steady with a 2.61 GAA and a .892 save percentage.
Key Strength: Balanced scoring across the top lines and a strong penalty kill.
Detroit Lakes Lakers (6-5-1, 3-0-0 Mid-State Conference)
The Lakers, coached by Ben Noah, enter the game following a 4-1 loss to Warroad. Despite the setback, Detroit Lakes has been a competitive team this season, averaging 3.50 goals per game while allowing just 2.08. Their penalty kill is exceptional, operating at 92.3%, and their power play (25.9%) is also a key weapon.
The offense is led by Carter Whitworth, who has 8 goals this season, while William Cymbaluk tops the team in points with 11. Goalie Griffin Lindberg has been a standout performer with a 2.07 GAA and a .924 save percentage, making him a crucial part of the Lakers’ success.
Key Strength: Strong goaltending and an elite penalty kill.
Griffin Lindberg (Detroit Lakes) and Noah Schindele (East Grand Forks) are reliable goaltenders. Their performances could be the deciding factor in this closely matched game.
Detroit Lakes’ goaltending give them an advantage, East Grand Forks’ home-ice advantage and depth scoring could make this a tightly contested game.
Prediction: East Grand Forks 3, Detroit Lakes 2.
