Rock Ridge Holds Off Duluth Marshall for a 5-3 Playoff Victory

In a hard-fought Section 7AA playoff showdown, Rock Ridge built an early lead and held off Duluth Marshall’s third-period push to secure a 5-3 victory. Despite Duluth Marshall’s nine power-play opportunities, they were unable to convert, while Rock Ridge’s balanced attack and efficient special teams play proved to be the difference.

First Period: Rock Ridge Strikes First

Rock Ridge wasted no time getting on the board at 12:34, as Caz Carlson finished a setup from Colton Bialke and Grady Dimberio to give them a 1-0 lead.
Just over a minute later (13:41), Dimberio extended the lead to 2-0, converting a pass from Bialke and Derik Dahl.
Duluth Marshall answered quickly at 13:57, with Braydon Hannula beating Wyatt Jonassen, assisted by Samuel Berry, cutting the deficit to 2-1 heading into the second period.

Second Period: Rock Ridge Controls the Middle Frame

Duluth Marshall tied the game at 2-2 at 8:27, with Bennett Scissons finding the back of the net, assisted by Maxwell Berrisford.
Rock Ridge reclaimed the lead just 90 seconds later on the power play (10:04) when Cal Scott buried a setup from Bialke and Carlson, making it 3-2.
They extended the lead at 11:41, as Dimberio netted his second of the night off a feed from Bialke, pushing the score to 4-2.
Rock Ridge continued to dominate, adding another goal at 14:30, as Bialke joined the scoring column, assisted by Carlson and Easton Walters, making it 5-2.

Third Period: Duluth Marshall Pushes Late

Rock Ridge focused on defensive play in the final period, limiting Duluth Marshall’s offensive chances.
The Hilltoppers finally broke through at 16:22, when Elijah Thorson found the back of the net off assists from Benson Peterson and Layton Anderson, making it 5-3.
Despite outshooting Rock Ridge 11-6 in the final period, Duluth Marshall couldn’t capitalize on their power plays or find the net in the closing minutes.

Key Stats & Takeaways

✅ Bialke’s Playmaking Shines: Colton Bialke (1G, 4A) was involved in four of Rock Ridge’s five goals.
✅ Dimberio’s Two-Goal Night: Grady Dimberio (2G, 1A) stepped up as a major offensive force.
✅ Rock Ridge Wins the Special Teams Battle: 1-for-4 on the power play (25%), while Duluth Marshall went 0-for-9.
✅ Jonassen Stands Tall: Rock Ridge goaltender Wyatt Jonassen made 17 saves on 20 shots (.850 SV%), holding off Duluth Marshall’s late surge.