Boys Hockey: Kale Ravnaas' hat trick powers Panthers' victory over LOW

BAUDETTE – Kale Ravnaas’ hat trick powered the Park Rapids-Menahga-Nevis-Walker-Hackensack-Akeley boys hockey team to a 10-4 Section 8A win over Lake of the Woods on Thursday, Feb. 2.

The Panthers set the tone by building a 5-0 lead after the first period as five different players scored goals. Reed Sharp opened the scoring just 29 seconds into the game on assists from Parker Vinge and Joey Hillukka. Josh Hillukka set up a goal by Wyatt Tischer at the 5:56 mark before Shad Torola scored at the 13:14 mark on an assist from Finn Henry. Ravnaas tallied his first goal of the game at the 14:37 mark with help from Josh Hillukka and Tischer. Vinge capped off the first period with a goal with 50 seconds left as Jeron Pinoniemi and Joey Hillukka had assists. Park Rapids outshot the Bears 17-5 in that period.

Pinoniemi began the second period with a pair of goals in helping the Panthers extend their lead to 9-0. Braden Stewart and Joey Hillukka set up Pinoniemi 42 seconds into the period before Conner Hanson had an assist on Pinoniemi’s second goal at the 4:49 mark. Torola and Ravnaas scored power-play goals with Sharp receiving an assist on Torola’s goal at the 8:06 mark and Torola setting up Ravnaas 45 seconds later. LOW’s Charlie Eck scored at the 12:29 mark to make it 9-1 entering the final period. The Panthers had a 14-5 advantage in shots in that period.

Ravnaas completed his hat trick at the 9:21 mark on an assist from Sharp as the Panthers led 10-1. LOW concluded the scoring on a power-play goal by Cole Cook with 5:10 to play, Sawyer Stromlund’s goal with 3:40 to go and Randy Wood’s goal with 2:15 remaining.

Goalies Sawyer Torkelson and Cooper Tischer combined to make 16 saves as the Panthers held a 39-20 advantage in shots on goal. The win lifted Park Rapids’ record to 5-3-1 in section games and 12-6-1 overall while LOW fell to 0-10 in the section and 4-15 overall.