A three-goal third period by East Grand Forks prevented the Park Rapids-Menahga boys hockey team from sweeping a pair of Section 8A games over the weekend at the Ted O. Johnson Ice Arena.
The Panthers made their home debut Friday night with an 8-1 victory over Walker-Hackensack-Ake-ley.
Park Rapids carried a 3-2 lead into the third period against EGF Saturday afternoon before the Green Wave rallied for a 5-3 victory.
The split left the Panthers with a 1-1 record against section opponents and a 2-1 overall record entering Tuesday night's game at Greenway. Park Rapids hosts St. Paul Como Park Friday night and St. Bernard's Saturday afternoon.
Seven players score goals
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Seven different players scored goals in leading the Panthers past W-H-A.
Tucker Coborn opened the scoring just 30 seconds into the game before goals by A.J. May and Brandon Mickelson gave the Panthers a 3-1 lead after the first period. Park Rapids held a 16-3 edge in shots in the opening period.
A power-play goal by Kevin McMorrow and goals by Coborn and Jeff Sharp pushed the lead to 6-1. The Panthers held a 16-3 advantage in shots in the second period.
Goals by Andy Floyd and Dan Ricke ended the scoring as the Panthers held a 12-2 edge in shots in the third period.
McMorrow had three assists while Sam Coborn tallied two assists for the Panthers. Levi Erickson, Tucker Coborn, Kyle Kanten and Frank Moren also had assists.
Goalie Ryan O'Mara made seven saves as the Panthers finished with a 44-8 advantage in shots on goal in W-H-A's season opener.
In the junior varsity game, Sharp, Kanten and Ian Johnson scored two goals each in leading the Panthers to an 8-2 victory. Zach O'Hern had a goal and two assists and Robert Whiteside had a goal. Kanten, Johnson, Erik Lageson, Jack Mercado and Cody Walsh had an assist each. Goalie Scott Smith made nine saves as the Panthers held a 28-11 edge in shots.
Mercado had two goals and Walsh, Cory Odland, Alex Renner and Johnson had goals in leading the Park Rapids junior varsity to a 6-4 win at Silver Bay on Nov. 29. Smith made 14 saves in that game.
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Useldinger sparks EGF rally
Jake Useldinger scored two of his four goals in the third period to rally East Grand Forks to a 5-3 win.
After Useldinger opened the scoring, Kanten and McMorrow assisted on a goal by Ryan Kent as the Panthers tied the game at 1-1 after the first period.
McMorrow's slap shot gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead before Useldinger tied the game at 2-2 at the 8:00 mark. Park Rapids took a 3-2 lead when Erickson and Jared Naeve assisted on a goal by Floyd at the 14:39 mark of the second period.
The Green Wave dominated the third period with an 11-2 edge in shots. Casey Ristau's power-play goal tied the game at 3-3 3:23 into the final period before Useldinger scored the game-winner at the 11:15 mark. Useldinger's shorthanded goal at the 15:26 mark concluded the scoring.
Goalie Brady Yrjo made 34 saves for the Panthers, who went 0-for-7 on the power play. The win lifted EGF to 1-1 in the section and 2-1 overall.
