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Not so grand — boys hockey season ends in Grand Rapids |
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Wednesday, 27 February 2008 |
Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor
For the second straight year, the boys hockey team ventured off to Grand Rapids to open the section playoffs, only to go leave IRA Civic Center with a season-ending loss.
The 2008 version took place Tuesday, Feb. 19, where despite an eye-popping effort from Forest Lake goaltender Paul Moberg, the host Thunderhawks prevailed with a 4-2 victory.
Forest Lake (13-13, 8-8) entered the night having lost four of their last five, and had to knock off a Grand Rapids squad they had already defeated at the start of the year. The Thunderhawks were awarded the third seed, meaning the sixth-seeded Rangers had to hit the road and try to duplicate the 4-3 win from late November.
“I wasn’t surprised when we were given the sixth seed, but it was disappointing,” head coach Aaron Forsythe admitted. “Before sections started there were two teams with more wins than us: Anoka and (Duluth) East.”
In the first matchup, Moberg made 48 saves to earn the W, but last week, even 50 stops couldn’t keep the Rangers in the postseason.
“Moberg played a great game, just like last time we were in Grand Rapids,” Forsythe said. “We lost Tom Fick in the first period with a shoulder injury, which hurt, he has been playing his best hockey in the past few weeks.”
Neither team really came out firing, and once the Thunderhawks started to find their rhythm, Moberg was making absurd saves to keep the game scoreless until late in the opening period. With 40 seconds remaining, Grand Rapids’ Sam Rendle put one in to give his team a 1-0 advantage.
Chaz Hartshorn tied it up for the Rangers with an unassisted goal, but the Thunderhawks would answer later in the second to take a lead they would never give up.
With the help of some Forest Lake penalties, Grand Rapids scored twice on power plays to essentially put the game out of reach.
The Rangers weren’t done, though, as Mat Wethammer used an assist from Jake Kogler to make it 4-2, but that’s as close as Forsythe’s crew would come. Moberg was pulled late in the third to give Forest Lake an extra man, but the Thunderhawks wouldn’t allow any more goals in the 4-2 final.
“We played hard; the team did everything we asked of them. In the end, a handful of penalties took their toll on us,” Forsythe shared.
“Personally, I had fun this season. I was lucky to have a good coaching staff and such a great group of kids. I’m proud of them.”
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