Donovan, Northern Lakes defeat Panthers

Northern Lakes used two goals and two assists by Shane Donovan for a 7-1 Mid-State Conference win over the Park Rapids-Menahga-Nevis-Walker-Hackensack-Akeley boys hockey team at Breezy Point on Thursday, Dec. 19.

Tyler Seeling scored 18 seconds into the game, Josef Slepica scored at the 6:43 mark and Caiden Kjelstrom scored at the 13:46 mark as Northern Lakes built a 3-0 lead after the first period.

Goals by Donovan at the 7:44 and 14:20 marks and a goal by Carter Holtziecier at the 10:27 mark extended the lead to 6-0 after the second period.

Nash Mitchell and Alec Nordin assisted on a goal by Joey Hillukka with 4:34 to play as the Panthers made it 6-1. Seeling’s power-play goal with 2:59 remaining concluded the scoring.

The Lightning finished with a 40-20 advantage in shots on goal in improving to 2-1-1 in conference play and 4-3-1 overall.

Goalie Ben Strandlie made 33 saves for the Panthers, who fell to 1-3 against conference teams and 1-6 overall.

Park Rapids 0 0 1...1

Northern Lakes 3 3 1...7

FIRST PERIOD: 1, Northern Lakes, Seeling (Slepica, Donovan), :18. 2, Northern Lakes, Slepica (Holtziecier), 6:43. 3, Northern Lakes, Kjelstrom (Villarreal), 13:46. Penalties: Park Rapids 1, Northern Lakes 1.

SECOND PERIOD: 4, Northern Lakes, Donovan, 7:44. 5, Northern Lakes, Holtziecier (St. Clair, Stephens), 10:27. 6, Northern Lakes, Donovan (Couture, Miller), 14:20. Penalties: Park Rapids 1, Northern Lakes 2.

THIRD PERIOD: 1, Park Rapids, Hillukka (Mitchell, Nordin), 12:26. 7, Northern Lakes, Seeling (Couture, Donovan), 14:01. Penalties: Park Rapids 1, Northern Lakes 0.

GOALIE SAVES: Park Rapids (Strandlie) 33. Northern Lakes (LeMieur) 19.