Opportunities were earned -- then lost -- for the Detroit Lakes boys' hockey team, which fell to visiting International Falls Saturday by the score of 7-4.
For the third game in a row, as well, the Lakers gave up a scoring splurge by their opponents, this time allowing a five-goal second period by the Broncos.
The previous two incidents came in losses to Northern Lakes, where DL gave up a four-goal first period, and a five-score first against Crookston.
"Again, we started out playing well and then gave up a bad five-minute stretch," said DL head coach Chris Denardo. "We had just a ton of chances, as well, and never capitalized on them."
Denardo said his team had 24 quality scoring chances and only cashed in on four of them.
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"We missed a couple of open netters and hit the post a couple of times, we just kept shooting ourselves in the foot," the DL coach said.
Much of the damage the Broncos incurred came on special teams, with two power play goals and a short-handed one.
DL fell down 2-0 on Lucas Debenedet's short-handed score 8:06 into the first period, which was followed up by Christian Kittleson's power play tally just over five minutes later.
But the Lakers rebounded on a short-handed goal of their own, when Kirby Inderrieden took a pass from Andy Schupp to cut the lead in half at 2-1, after DL outshot International Falls by a 12-8 margin.
After the two teams exchanged goals to start the second -- DL's coming off the stick of senior forward Nate Baker (Alex Mason on the assist) -- the Broncos ripped off four consecutive scores to pull ahead 7-2.
Much like the last three games, the Lakers never did quit, as Schupp racked up a power play and short-handed goal to pull the Lakers to within 7-4, but the clock ran out for the Broncos' victory.
Assists on Schupp's goals went to Austin Starkey, Derick Brehm and Baker.
"We just had some penalty kill lapses and they hit their backside guy on about three of their goals," Denardo said. "But we controlled the puck for much of the first and third periods. We just didn't capitalize on our opportunities, they did."
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The Lakers also had freshman Brett Nephew making his varsity debut at goalie -- over seniors Blake Murphy and Michael Brunner -- and he finished with 20 saves on 27 shots.
"He played pretty good," Denardo said. "I just thought I'd shake some things up and give our two seniors a rest after playing something like five games in the last eight days."
The Lakers (9-8-0) will look to snap their three-game losing streak when they travel to Prairie Centre (7-8-0) Friday for a 7:30 p.m. start.
"We'll be fine," Denardo said of his team's midseason slump. "I have liked the players' aggressiveness in their attack, they just need to settle down and finish them off, like they were earlier in the season.
"Every team hits a little stretch like this, we just have to get back to getting focused and buckle down."
Laker results
International Falls at Detroit Lakes, Saturday, Jan. 15.
Broncos 2 5 0 - 7
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Lakers 1 1 2 - 4
1st Period -- Scoring: IFALLS - Debenedet (Short Handed) 8:06. IFALLS - Kittleson (Power Play) (Casareto, Misner) 13:52. DTRTLK - Inderrieden (Short Handed) (Schupp) 14:41. Penalties: None.
2nd Period -- Scoring: IFALLS - Meyer (Lassila) 2:13. DTRTLK - Baker (Mason) 6:58. IFALLS - Lassila (Friend) 7:37. IFALLS - Meyer (Friend) 12:53. IFALLS - Skirten (Power Play) (White) 13:58. IFALLS - Bruess (Skirten) 14:13. Penalties: None
3rd Period -- Scoring: DTRTLK - Schupp (Power Play) (Starkey) 1:12. DTRTLK - Schupp (Power Play) (Brehm, Baker) 10:04. Penalties: None.
Shots on goal -- DL: 12 8 15 - 35...IF: 8 13 6 - 27.
Saves -- DL (Brett Nephew) 20...IF (Glenn Walls) 31.
