Zach Lehrke scored five goals and Colter Hensel had two goals and two assists in leading the Park Rapids-Menahga boys hockey team to a pair of wins at St. Paul over the weekend.
Lehrke's hat trick sparked the Panthers to a 5-3 win over St. Paul Como Park Friday night. Hensel assisted on two of Lehrke's three goals in that game.
The Panthers improved to 4-0 on the season as goalie Mark Smith earned his second shutout of the season in a 4-0 victory over the St. Paul Saints Saturday afternoon.
The Panthers hosted Mid-State Conference rival Detroit Lakes Tuesday night and will play at Section 8A rival East Grand Forks Friday night.
Lehrke's hat trick keys win
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Lehrke's two goals and a goal by Hensel gave the Panthers a 3-1 lead after the first period to spark the win over Como Park.
Hensel set up one of Lehrke's goals and Lehrke assisted on Hensel's goal as the Panthers jumped out to a 3-1 lead. Kevin McMorrow and Billy Winkler also had assists in the first period.
After Como Park made it 3-2 with the lone goal of the second period, Zach Knapp scored the eventual game-winner on the power play midway through the third period. Lehrke sealed the win by completing his hat trick at the 13:30 mark. Hensel and Winkler assisted on that goal.
Smith made 13 saves as the Panthers held an 18-16 edge in shots on goal. The loss dropped Como Park, which scored all three goals on the power play, to 1-4 on the season.
Park Rapids tied Como Park 2-2 in the junior varsity game.
Park Rapids 3 0 2 5
Como Park 1 1 1 3
FIRST PERIOD: 1, Como Park, Eng (Rose), 1:46. 1, Park Rapids, Lehrke (Hensel, McMorrow), 2:09. 2, Park Rapids, Hensel (Lehrke, Winkler), 10:07. 3, Park Rapids, Lehrke (unassisted), 14:03.
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SECOND PERIOD: 2, Como Park, Sibenaler (Heesch, Rose), 2:23.
THIRD PERIOD: 4, Park Rapids, Knapp (unassisted), 7:53. 5, Park Rapids, Lehrke (Hensel, Winkler), 13:30. 3, Como Park, Rose (Katz), 14:02.
GOALIE SAVES: Park Rapids (Smith) 3-6-4-13. Como Park (Baker) 3-4-6-13.
Smith shuts out Saints
Smith made 20 saves and Lehrke had two goals and an assist in leading the Pan-thers past the Saints.
Goals by Lehrke and Landon Kohlrusch gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead after the first period. Kohlrusch assisted on Lehrke's goal while McMorrow and John Paulouski assisted on Kohlrusch's goal.
Lehrke set up Hensel early in the second period and scored a power-play goal at the 4:29 mark to give the Panthers a 4-0 lead. Curtis Tolle assisted on Lehrke's second goal.
Neither team scored in the final period as the Panthers held an 18-8 edge in shots. Park Rapids finished with a 48-20 edge in shots for the game.
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St. Paul dropped to 3-1 with the loss.
Park Rapids defeated the Saints 5-0 in the JV game.
Park Rapids 2 2 0 4
St. Paul Saints 0 0 0 0
FIRST PERIOD: 1, Park Rapids, Lehrke (Kohlrusch), 11:24. 2, Park Rapids, Kohlrusch (McMorrow, Paulouski), 16:21.
SECOND PERIOD: 3, Park Rapids, Hensel (Lehrke), 3:13. 4, Park Rapids, Lehrke (Tolle), 4:29.
THIRD PERIOD: No scoring.
GOALIE SAVES: Park Rapids (Smith) 6-6-8-20. St. Paul (Anderson) 10-16-18-44.
