Prairie Centre scored three goals in the third period to break a 2-2 tie and hand the Park Rapids-Menahga-Nevis-Walker-Hackensack-Akeley boys hockey team a 5-3 loss in the Mid-State Conference opener at the Long Prairie Ice Arena on Tuesday, Dec. 3.
Alec Nordin gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead with a goal at the 5:34 mark of the first period before Prairie Centre opened the second period with a pair of goals by Eli Fletcher, including a power-play goal at the 2:43 mark and another goal at the 6:46 mark. Nordin and Sam Meier set up Joseph Huber at the 14:54 mark as Park Rapids tied the game at 2-2.
Preston Sorenson scored 30 seconds into the third period and followed with what turned out to be the game-winning goal at the 8:29 mark as the North Stars built a 4-2 lead. Jack Slagle scored on an assist from Nordin at the 9:40 mark before Fletcher completed his hat trick with a power-play goal with 4:14 to play to seal the win.
Park Rapids goalie Ben Strandlie made 34 saves as the North Stars held a 39-29 advantage in shots on goal, including a 20-11 edge in the third period. The Panthers fell to 0-2 on the season while Prairie Centre improved to 1-1.
Weather forced the Panthers’ game at Ely on Saturday (Nov. 30) to be postponed.
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Park Rapids 1 1 1...3
Prairie Centre 0 2 3...5
FIRST PERIOD: 1, Park Rapids, Nordin, 5:34. Penalties: Park Rapids 0, Prairie Centre 2.
SECOND PERIOD: 2, Prairie Centre, Fletcher (Zollman, Bick), 2:43. 2, Prairie Centre, Fletcher, 6:46. 2, Park Rapids, Huber (Meier, Nordin), 14:54. Penalties: Park Rapids 3, Prairie Centre 0.
THIRD PERIOD: 3, Prairie Centre, Sorenson (Fletcher), :30. 4, Prairie Centre, Sorenson (Zollman, Bick), 8:29. 3, Park Rapids, Slagle (Nordin), 9:40. 5, Prairie Centre, Fletcher (Zollman), 12:46. Penalties: Park Rapids 1, Prairie Centre 0.
GOALIE SAVES: Park Rapids (Strandlie) 5-12-17--34. Prairie Centre (DeFoe) 7-9-10--26.
