Northern Lakes outplayed the Park Rapids-Menahga-Nevis-Walker-Hackensack-Akeley boys hockey team in the first period to spark a 6-2 Mid-State Conference win at the Walker Area Community Center on Dec. 20.
The Lightning used goals by Kyler Couture, Hunter Nybakken and Dylan Mesenbrink to claim a 3-0 lead after the first period. Northern Lakes held an 18-8 advantage in shots on goal in that period.
Alex Nordin scored 4:55 into the second period to make it 3-1 before Josef Slepica's goal gave Northern Lakes a 4-1 advantage entering the final period.
A power-play goal by Brett Pinoniemi at the 8:19 mark cut the deficit to 4-2 before Mesenbrink's shorthanded goal with 2:14 to play sealed the win.
Northern Lakes failed to score on five power-play opportunities while the Panthers went 1-for-4 with a man advantage.
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Goalie Brendan Kruchowski made 36 saves for the Panthers, who fell to 1-3 in the conference and 2-7 overall. Northern Lakes, which finished with a 42-34 edge in shots, improved to 1-2-1 in Mid-State games and 1-6-1 overall. Detroit Lakes (3-0) and Prairie Centre (3-1) top the conference standings while Wadena-Deer Creek is 0-2-1 in Mid-State action.
Northern Lakes 3 1 2...6
Park Rapids 0 1 1...2
FIRST PERIOD: 1, Northern Lakes, Couture (Slepica, Mesenbrink), 2:19. 2, Northern Lakes, Nybakken (Donavan, Couture), 8:00. 3, Northern Lakes, Mesenbrink, 11:26. Penalties: Northern Lakes 0, Park Rapids 1.
SECOND PERIOD: 1, Park Rapids, Nordin, 4:55. 4, Northern Lakes, Slepica (Couture), 13:19. Penalties: Northern Lakes 2, Park Rapids 1.
THIRD PERIOD: 2, Park Rapids, Pinoniemi, 8:19. 5, Northern Lakes, Mesenbrink (Donovan), 11:32. 6, Northern Lakes, Miller, 14:46. Penalties: Northern Lakes 4, Park Rapids 4.
GOALIE SAVES: Northern Lakes (LeMieur) 8-10-14--32. Park Rapids (Kruchowski) 15-11-10--36.
Panthers top LOW
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Goals by Jordan Baker, Cody Sagen and Jack Slagle led the Panthers to a 3-1 Section 8A win over Lake of the Woods at the Baudette Arena on Dec. 15.
After a scoreless first period, Nolan Pederson assisted on a goal by Baker at the 3:10 mark and Carter Opheim and Pinoniemi assisted on a goal by Sagen at the 14:15 mark as Park Rapids carried a 2-0 lead in the second period.
Nordin set up a power-play boal by Slagle 1:31 into the third period to extend the lead to 3-0. LOW avoided a shutout on Reece Chorney's goal at the 5:30 mark.
Kruchowski made 20 saves as the Panthers, who finished with a 28-21 edge in shots, avenged a 4-1 loss to LOW on Dec. 8. The win lifted Park Rapids to 1-5 against section teams.
LOW, which didn't score on four power-play chances, fell to 2-2 in section games and 4-4 overall.
Park Rapids 0 2 1...3
Lake of the Woods 0 0 1...1
FIRST PERIOD: No scoring. Penalties: Park Rapids 2, LOW 0.
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SECOND PERIOD: 1, Park Rapids, Baker (Pederson), 3:10. 2, Park Rapids, Sagen (Car. Opheim, Pinoniemi), 14:15. Penalties: Park Rapids 2, LOW 1.
THIRD PERIOD: 3, Park Rapids, Slagle (Nordin), 1:31. 1, LOW, Chorney (Risser), 5:30. Penalties: Park Rapids 2, LOW 3.
GOALIE SAVES: Park Rapids (Kruchowski) 7-3-10--20. LOW (Tom) 6-8-11--25.
