Goals by Lexi Hinkley-Smith and Alexa Kennedy in the third period gave the Park Rapids-Menahga-Nevis-Walker-Hackensack-Akeley girls hockey team a 4-2 win at Bemidji Thursday night.
Kennedy scored off a rebound for a power-play goal at the 16:44 mark of the first period to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead. Taylor Sagen assisted on that goal.
Bemidji tied it on Olivia Johnson's goal at the 5:32 mark of the second period before Paige Myhre slapped in a rebound at the 10:54 mark to give Park Rapids a 2-1 lead. Sagen and Kennedy assisted on that goal.
Paige De La Hunt tied the game at the 6:49 mark of the third period before Hinkley-Smith's game-winning goal at the 9:39 mark and Kennedy's insurance goal at the 13:07 mark gave the Panthers the win. Myhre and Sagen set up Kennedy's second goal of the game.
Goalie Julia Smith made 30 saves as Bemidji held a 32-23 advantage in shots. The win lifted Park Rapids to 6-8-1 on the season while Bemidji fell to 1-15.
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"We knew we were in for a battle. They wanted to pick up their second win of the season and they came at us hard. But the girls worked hard and played our most complete game of the season," said Park Rapids head coach Gary Vaudrin. "All the lines played well, our defense played well and Julia was outstanding again in the net. We got to the net, put ourselves in the right positions and knocked some rebounds home and we didn't give up any great shots defensively. We played very well as a team. This was a very nice win for us."
Park Rapids 1 1 2....4
Bemidji 0 1 1....2
FIRST PERIOD: 1, Park Rapids, Kennedy (T. Sagen), 16:44. Penalties: Park Rapids 1, Bemidji 1.
SECOND PERIOD: 1, Bemidji, Johnson (Eller, Copisky), 5:22. 2, Park Rapids, Myhre (T. Sagen, Kennedy), 10:54. Penalties: Park Rapids 3, Bemidji 3.
THIRD PERIOD: 2, Bemidji, De La Hunt (Holm), 6:49. 3, Park Rapids, Hinkley-Smith, 9:39. 4, Park Rapids, Kennedy (Myhre, T. Sagen), 13:07. Penalties: Park Rapids 1, Bemidji 1.
GOALIE SAVES: Park Rapids (Smith) 12-8-10--30. Bemidji (Delap) 5-8-6--19.
