Tuesday's home tilt against visiting Crookston was a good barometer game for the upstart Detroit Lakes boys' hockey team needless to say.
Unfortunately, that barometer bottomed out for the Lakers in a 4-3 overtime loss.
Crookston's Morgan Terpstra scored with 22.8 seconds left in regulation to tie the score 3-3 and force overtime, where Pirate forward Ryan Edevold cashed in the winning goal 3:32 into overtime to drop the Lakers to 11-3-2 overall and snap an 11-game undefeated streak.
"It was just terrible hockey from us," said DL head coach Chris Denardo. "All the little things we've been doing well all season, they didn't do any of those tonight. We didn't have puck movement, the forwards were not getting in good position and we didn't establish the forecheck like we usually do.
"It wasn't the way an 11-2-2 team should play."
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Laker goalie Andrew Friesen did have a strong game with 32 saves, including 14 in the second period.
But a scrum in front of DL's net with time waning down in the game, resulted in a poke in by Terpstra to force overtime.
In the extra frame, Crookston gained a rush on the Laker net again, as Seth Heppner passed to Edevold in the slot, who buried the puck past Friesen.
"There wasn't any facet of the game played well, except for Andrew (Friesen) keeping us in the game," Denardo said. "We just didn't look like a hungry team tonight."
The two teams dualed to a scoreless first period, with DL putting eight shots on net and Crookston five, with an onslaught of shots on both goalies coming in the second period.
Both Friesen and Crookston goaltender Nick Bermaier, were up to the task with 27 combined saves.
But the Lakers did break through late in the second on an Alex Phelps' tally at the 4:29 mark after he went untouched down the left side and put a quick shot on net for the score, as each of linemate Nate Baker and defenseman Joe Hanson picking up assists.
The third period had less shots, but a bevy of more goals.
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DL score twice on five shots, while the Pirates put 11 shots on goals with three finding home.
Crookston played comeback twice, the first tying the score 1-1 on a Pirate power play at the 16:29 mark on a hard perimeter shot.
The goals came fast and furious, as Class 1A's leading scorer Tanner Lane answered on a 2-on-1 rush on the net as Baker made a nice crossing pass to Lane for the one-timer and 2-1 lead.
It continued just 1:12 later, as Crookston answered on an unassisted effort by Ryan Bittner, who was camped out in the slot and picked up a nice pass from behind the net.
A tip off an Alex Mason shot by Andy Schupp 20 seconds later put DL back on top 3-2, before the last second goal by Terpstra forced overtime.
"You don't put an effort out like that after 15 games," Denardo said. "I have seen maybe spurts of that kind of play this season, but not for an entire three periods."
The Lakers will try and rebound at home at Northern Lakes (8-7) in an important Section 6-1A matchup Thursday, starting at 7:30 p.m.
Laker results
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Crookston at Detroit Lakes, Tuesday, Jan. 19.
Pirates 0 0 3 1 - 4
Lakers 0 1 2 0 - 3
First period -- No scoring.
Second period -- 1. DL, Alex Phelps (Nate Baker, Joe Hanson) 12:31.
Third period -- 2. Crk, Morgan Terpstra (Mark Bittner) :31; 3. DL, Tanner Lane (Baker, Phelps) 3:59; 4. Crk, Ryan Bittner (UA) 4:17; 5. DL, Andy Schupp (Alex Mason) 4:37; 6. Terpstra (UA) 16:32.
Overtime -- 7. Crk, Ryan Edevold (Seth Heppner, M. Bittner) 3:32.
Saves -- DL (Andrew Friesen) 8 14 8 2 - 32...Crk (Nick Belmaier) 5 13 3 1 - 22.
