Defense dominates as Detroit Lakes blanks Panthers

     Missed opportunities cost the Park Rapids-Menahga-Nevis-Walker-Hackensack-Akeley boys hockey team in a 3-0 loss at Detroit Lakes Tuesday night.

     Detroit Lakes’ defense dominated by skating off seven penalties and allowing only 10 shots on goal as the Lakers recorded their third consecutive shutout.

     Joe Solberg opened the scoring at the 7:36 mark of the first period before Cooper Heimark added a power-play goal at the 11:49 mark as the Lakers led 2-0 after the first period.

     After the Panthers failed to score on a 5-minute major penalty early in the second period, Sam Boomgarden scored at the 4:10 mark to give Detroit Lakes a 3-0 lead.

     Goalie Ben Naugle made 22 saves for the Panthers, who went 0 for 7 on the power play. The loss dropped Park Rapids to 1-1 in Mid-State Conference play, 0-2 against Section 8A teams and 1-3 overall.

     MacKenzie Steele stopped all 10 shots he faced as the Lakers improved to 3-0 in the conference, 2-1 against section teams and 4-2 overall.

Park Rapids                0    0      0…0

Detroit Lakes              2    1      0…3

FIRST PERIOD: 1, Detroit Lakes, Solberg (Boomgarden), 7:36. 2, Detroit Lakes, Heimark (Lund, Solberg), 11:49. Penalties: Park Rapids 1, Detroit Lakes 4.

SECOND PERIOD: 3, Detroit Lakes, Boomgarden (Solberg, Berby), 4:10. Penalties: Park Rapids 1, Detroit Lakes 1.

THIRD PERIOD: No scoring. Penalties: Park Rapids 0, Detroit Lakes 2.

GOALIE SAVES: Park Rapids (Naugle) 6-9-7-22. Detroit Lakes (Steele) 3-4-3-10.