Last-second goals by Kevin McMorrow and Zach Lehrke kept the Park Rapids-Menahga boys hockey team's undefeated record intact.
McMorrow tipped in the winning goal with :03 remaining in overtime to give the Panthers a 4-3 victory over Wadena-Deer Creek Thursday night at the Ted O. Johnson Ice Arena.
On Saturday afternoon, Park Rapids and Red Lake Falls were locked in a 1-1 tie until Lehrke scored on a breakaway with 2:52 remaining and added an empty-net goal with :01 showing to seal a 3-1 win.
Park Rapids improved to 5-0 against Section 8A opponents and 15-0 overall entering Tuesday night's Mid-State Conference game against Northern Lakes at Pequot Lakes. The Panthers host Lake of the Woods in another section game Friday night.
Panthers escape with win
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The Panthers were on the verge of having their win streak snapped when McMorrow scored the game-winner before the buzzer.
Park Rapids seemed in control when two goals in a span of 57 seconds led to a 3-1 lead in the second period.
Jared Naeve's first varsity goal at the 13:27 mark of the first period gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead. Zach Knapp and Brandon Mickelson assisted on that goal.
Lehrke and John Paulouski set up Tucker Coborn at the 12:54 mark of the second period to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead. The Wolverines scored shortly after the ensuing faceoff on Trevor Ness' unassisted goal, but Park Rapids responded when Ryan Kent scored his first varsity goal with 11:57 to go.
W-DC then used goals by Joe Peters and Jimmy Iken to tie the game entering the third period.
After a scoreless third period, in which the Panthers held an 11-5 edge in shots, W-DC reserve goalie Chris McCullough stopped seven shots in the extra period before Lehrke and Knapp were credited with assists on McMorrow's game-winner.
Park Rapids goalie Mark Smith finished with 20 saves while McCullough made 36 saves for the Wolverines, who fell to 7-6-1 on the season. The Panthers defeated W-DC 8-2 earlier in the season.
Wadena-Deer Creek 0 3 0 0......0
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Park Rapids 1 2 0 1......4
FIRST PERIOD: 1, Park Rapids, Naeve (Knapp, Mickelson), 13:27. Penalties: W-DC 2, Park Rapids 2.
SECOND PERIOD: 2, Park Rapids, Coborn (Lehrke, Paulouski), 12:54. 1, W-DC, Ness (unassisted), 12:09. 3, Park Rapids, Kent (unassisted), 11:57. 2, W-DC, Peters (Wing, Swanson), 5:02. 3, W-DC, Iken (Wing), 2:06. Penalties: W-DC 0, Park Rapids 2.
THIRD PERIOD: No scoring. Penalties: None.
OVERTIME: 4, Park Rapids, McMorrow (Lehrke, Knapp), :03.
GOALIE SAVES: W-DC (McCullough) 3-15-11-7-36. Park Rapids (Smith) 9-3-5-3-20.
Panthers slip past RLF
The Panthers had plenty of scoring chances through the first 48 minutes, but were facing another potential tie for the second game in a row.
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Lehrke's breakaway goal with 2:52 to play and empty-net goal before the buzzer gave the Panthers another close win.
Colter Hensel's first-period goal gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead. Bill Winkler and Derek Ricke assisted on that goal.
Red Lake Falls tied the game on Austin Stirling's goal at the 2:52 mark of the second period.
The Panthers, who held an 18-8 edge in shots in the first two periods, managed to pull off the win as Smith finished with 13 saves.
Zach Page had 26 saves for Red Lake Falls, which fell to 3-4 in the section and 5-9-1 overall.
Red Lake Falls 0 1 0 1
Park Rapids 1 0 2 3
FIRST PERIOD: 1, Park Rapids, Hensel (Winkler, De. Ricke), 8:07. Penalties: RLF 3, Park Rapids 2.
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SECOND PERIOD: 1, Red Lake Falls, Stirling (Derosier), 2:52. Penalties: RLF 2, Park Rapids 4.
THIRD PERIOD: 2, Park Rapids, Lehrke (unassisted), 14:08. 3, Park Rapids, Lehrke (Hensel), 16:59. Penalties: RLF 2, Park Rapids 1.
GOALIE SAVES: Red Lake Falls (Page) 8-10-8-26. Park Rapids (Smith) 1-7-5-13.
