The Laker boys hockey team won its second consecutive game on Tuesday night, defeating the Park Rapids Panthers 4-1 in a tight game at Kent Freeman Arena in Detroit Lakes.
The game started out tight from the get go. After a couple impactful saves from Lakers' goalie Josh Mack and an unsuccessful Detroit Lakes power play midway through the first period, senior Spencer Bergman blocked an attempted Park Rapids dump-in and found himself on a breakaway. He finished the great play by burying a beautiful top-corner snap shot from about five feet outside the hash marks to put the Lakers on the board first, with 3:57 remaining in the first period.
The Lakers wouldn't score again in the period, but continued to add to their momentum about a minute later when Jack Turner almost nearly doubled the lead by clanking a wrist shot off the right pipe right off a faceoff. The Lakers finished the period outshooting the Panthers 15-8.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Lakers found themselves on their first penalty kill of the game after a slashing call on Ben Hines with 4:49 left in the second period. They killed the penalty successfully, and with 2:08 left in the period, Jordan Fields walked up the boards and put the puck over the shoulder of Panther goalie Sawyer Torkelson to give the Lakers a 2-0 lead. Jacob Thomas and Beau Boehne picked up assists on the play. The Lakers outshot the Panthers 16-8 in the period.
The Panthers came out quick in the third period, and pulled the game back within one goal when Jaxson Lund stuffed a bouncing puck past Mack. Joey Hilukka picked up an assist on the play.
The Lakers made the Panthers pay for a five-minute major penalty early in the third period. Cole Larson put the Lakers up 3-1 after scoring the first power play goal of the game for the Lakers 4:18 into the third. A minute and a half later, the Lakers would score their second goal during the five-minute power play when Boehne walked in the zone alone and buried a shot from the slot to put the Lakers up 4-1.
The Lakers found themselves on the penalty kill three more times before the end of the game, but the Panthers were unable to do anything with the opportunities and the Lakers would hold on for a three-goal win.
ADVERTISEMENT
Detroit Lakes finished the game with 38 shots on goal. The Panthers finished the game with 19 shots on goal. Mack had 18 saves in net for the Lakers on the night.
