Posted: 2/1/06
Boys hockey battles through busy stretch
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Joe Drennan
Sports Editor
Little over halfway through a stretch where theyíre playing seven games in 14 days, the Forest Lake High School boys hockey team is doing their best to stay healthy and stay competitive.
The Rangers started their busy stretch last Tuesday when they hosted section 7AA rival Duluth East.
ìI thought it was a fun game from both sides of the puck,î Rangers coach Carl Brandt said. ìThe officiating was consistent in that they allowed the kids to play and the play was up and down the ice.î
Duluth East struck first with a goal at the 6:04 mark, but Blake Woodward tied things up near the end of the period.
Christian Fogerty gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead at the 4:03 mark of the second period after he got a pass from Woodward.
Duluth East added two power play goals in the second period to take the lead, then added an insurance goal in the third period.
ìWe played pretty good against a top caliber team,î Brandt said. ìI think Duluth East is a major player in our section, and I think that step for step we did pretty good.î
Two nights later the Rangers hosted Suburban East Conference foe Woodbury.
ìThat game can be characterized as being a very physical game,î Brandt said. ìEven though we didnít play our best, we were in the game.î
The two teams battled 0-0 until Woodbury took a 1-0 lead at the 10:55 mark of the third period.
Codey Carlisle tied things up when he scored a power play goal at the 14:48 mark.
With about a minute left in regulation the Rangers were called for holding, then 16 seconds into the overtime period they were called for checking from behind, giving Woodbury a two man advantage. Woodbury won the game at the 50 second mark.
ìOur special teams did a really nice job of killing penalties, it was just unfortunate that the game winner was a five on three in overtime,î Brandt said.
Rangers goalie Nate Burris made 22 saves in the loss.
ìI thought Nate played a solid game,î Brandt said. ìHe played a good enough game to win.î
The Rangers didnít have much time to sulk over the loss to Woodbury as Saturday they hosted Robbinsdale Armstrong.
ìWe were flat and I think we didnít really have a hop in our step for the game,î Brandt said.
Robbinsdale Armstrong took a 1-0 lead with less than a minute left in the first period, then scored a power play goal 2:28 into the second.
Dustin Kendrick cut the Robbinsdale Armstrong in half when he scored at the 10:43 mark of the second period.
Robbinsdale Armstrong scored a short handed goal at the 9:11 mark of the third period, right before Kendrick scored his second goal of the game at the 15:20 mark.
Robbinsdale Armstrong added an insurance goal to win 4-2 on an empty net goal with less than a minute to play in the game.
ìThat whole line of Dustin Kendrick and Sean Tilton have had some good efforts of late,î Brandt said. ìGoing back to the previous two games, they were our checking line and paired up against the top lines and theyíve done a good job in that role.î
In the Rangers final game of the week they took on a talented 7AA rival in Cloquet.
ìI think Cloquet is a force in 7AA and they were the fastest team weíve played next to Roseville,î Brandt said.
Cloquet scored two first period power play goals, then added two even strength goals in the second period. Cloquet added a fifth goal to win 5-0 in the third period.
ìWhen you play against tough competition you really have to bring your ëAí game, and we just didnít seem to have everybody on the same page,î Brandt said. Kenny Rivet really had a good game though, probably one of his better games of the season.î
The Rangers complete their seven games in 14 days this week as they travel to Hastings tonight, Thursday, then host Stillwater Saturday.
Forest Lake Times
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