Boys Hockey: Cardinals fall to Otters
Tribune Staff Reports
WILLMAR -- Fergus Falls outshot Willmar 32-16, but the Otters, working on a Central Lakes Conference title, had to produce two goals in the third period to fight off the Cardinals 5-4 Monday.
Fergus Falls improved to 10-1-1 in the CLC and is just half-a-point from conference front-runner Brainerd (11-0). The Otters host Brainerd on Thursday.
The Otters scored twice in a span of just 27 seconds midway through the first period to take a 3-1 lead. Graham Dahl scored on a power-play goal that was assisted by Cam Swenson one minute before the Otters' quick burst to tie the game at 1-1 for Willmar.
Both teams fired off 6 shots in the second period, but the Cardinals had 2 find the back of the net to tie the game at 3-3. Hunter Schneider netted a short-handed goal at the 7:19 mark and Cole Hagen tallied a goal 4½ minutes later in Willmar's second period.
But the Otters scored 41 seconds into the third period and added another 7 minutes later.
Swenson pulled the Cardinals within one with 5:15 remaining, but Fergus Falls fought off Willmar's 6-player attack as the Cardinals pulled goalie Derek Baker for the final 1:30.
Willmar (3-10, 8-15) is at St. Cloud Apollo on Thursday and hosts St. Cloud Tech next Tuesday to wrap up the regular season.
Fergus Falls 5,
Willmar 4
F. Falls (10-1-1, 12-8-1)........3 0 2 -- 5
Willmar (3-10, 8-15).............1 2 1 -- 4
FIRST PERIOD - FF: Jake Ahlgren (Devin Johnson, Joe Nathe) 2:29 ... Wil: Graham Dahl (Cam Swenson) 6:52, pp ... FF: Sam Rausch (Aidan Colling) 7:54 ... FF: Bradie Wahlgren (Rausch) 8:21
SECOND PERIOD - Wil: Hunter Schneider (Hunter Mottinger) 7:19, sh ... Wil: Cole Hagen (TJ Mattison) 11:48
THIRD PERIOD - FF: Ahlgren (Bill Rodning) :41 ... FF: Johnson (Nathe) 7:37 ... Wil: Swenson (unassisted) 11:45
GOALIE SAVES - Fergus Falls: Korey Anderson 5-4-3-12 ... Willmar: Derek Baker 12-6-9-27
Southwest
MBA 7, Red. Valley 3
(At Benson) -- Kelly Engquist scored 18 seconds into the game and later scored again to help the Morris/Benson Area Storm outshoot the Cardinals 61-14.
Tanner Picht also netted two goals for MBA, which also had Taner Gimberlin, Mac Beyer and Luke Schwarz tally a goal.
Redwood (1-8, 2-20)............1 1 1 -- 3
MBA (5-4-1, 7-13-1).............2 1 4 -- 7
FIRST PERIOD - MBA: Kelly Engquist (Tanner Kirkeide, Luke Schwarz) :18 ... MBA: Tanner Picht (Engquist) 2:28 ... RV: Jordan Skeie (Austin Kretsch) 13:37, sh
SECOND PERIOD - RV: Chris Verdoes (Colin Bailey) 14:56 ... MBA: Engquist (Picht, Mac Beyer) 15:30
THIRD PERIOD - MBA: Picht (Schwarz, Beyer) 1:02, pp ... RV: Verdoes (unassisted) 2:08 ... MBA: Taner Gimberlin (Riley Blake) 2:14 ... MBA: Beyer (Andrew Rentz, Jordan Staples) 3:56 ... MBA: Schwarz (Brody Gimberlin, Tanner Mikkelson) 4:45
GOALIE SAVES - Redwood Valley: Jordan Houle 0-*-*-0, Parker Revier 16-17-21-54 ... Morris/Benson Area: Matt Huot 2-3-*-5, Paden Strutz *-4-2-6
Late Saturday
Non-Conference
Morris/Benson Area 6, Pierre T.F. Riggs, S.D. 3
(At Benson) -- Luke Schwarz scored 14 seconds after the drop of the puck and the Storm led the South Dakota team 4-0 after one period.
Pierre T.F. Riggs, S.D...........0 1 2 -- 3
Morris/Benson Area.............4 1 1 -- 6
FIRST PERIOD - MBA: Luke Schwarz (Darion Helberg) :14 ... MBA: Tanner Picht (Paden Strutz) 5:33 ... MBA: Corey Storck (Kelly Engquist, Mac Beyer) 12:58 ... MBA: Brody Gimberlin (Schwarz, Picht) 14:26
SECOND PERIOD - MBA: Beyer (Engquist, Jordan Staples) 3:27 ... Pie: name not available 10:19
THIRD PERIOD - Pie: NA, sh, 4:46 ... Pie: NA, sh, 5:13 ... MBA: Engquist (Picht, Beyer) 14:08
GOALIE SAVES - Pierre: Jackson Frost 16 ... Morris/Benson Area: Paden Strutz 20
