#4 RANKED GREEN WAVE BEAT SHORTHANDED CROOKSTON BOY’S HOCKEY TEAM

FIRST PERIOD –
The Pirates came into the game missing eight players due to sickness and had a defensive mindset right from the start. It worked for the first few minutes but soon the floodgates opened and the Green Wave would build a commanding lead. Jackson Demarais would be called for a penalty giving EGF a Power Play, and the Green Wave would score to take a 1-0 lead at the 3:40 mark of the period. Following the next faceoff, the Green Wave would score twenty-nine seconds later and add a third goal on a nice shot from Cullen Schmaltz from the point a little over a minute after that. Crookston would have an opportunity to score getting their first Power Play of the night with 11:05 remaining in the period, but fifty-two seconds into the man advantage, Teagen Lubinski would be called for a cross-check making it 4V4 hockey. After the 4V4 was up, EGF would add their second Power Play goal of the night to take a 4-0 lead. The offense continued to shine for the Green Wave and at the 9:05 mark, Gage Seydel would be the fifth different EGF player to score giving them a 5-0 lead and forcing the Pirates to use their timeout. Whatever coach Josh Hardy said seemed to work as the Pirates defense did a nice job of keeping the Green Wave off the scoreboard the rest of the period. Crookston even had a chance to get on the board with a 5V3 advantage late in the period, but EGF’s penalty kill was stout and turned the Pirates away, and they would skate into the locker room with a 5-0 lead. The Green Wave outshot the Pirates 18-2 in the opening frame.

SECOND PERIOD –
The second period was much more balanced with neither team able to stay out of the penalty box. The Pirates would force two EGF penalties back-to-back a couple of minutes into the period to give themselves another 5V3. Again the Power Play struggles continued for Crookston and they were unable to capitalize. Through the midway point of the period, the Pirates Jack Doda would be sent off for a two-minute minor penalty but the rest of the Pirates responded to kill the penalty. Eventually, the Green Wave wore down Crookston with their speed and size and would score two late goals in the period, one a shorthanded goal on a two-on-one opportunity, and the other a fantastic wrist shot on a Power Play, giving the Green Wave a 7-0 lead. The score would remain there as the teams would head into the third period. The Green Wave had outshot the Pirates 33-6 after two periods of play with EGF goaltender Chase Mero pitching a shutout.

THIRD PERIOD –
The third period was played with running time per Minnesota State High School League rules as the Green Wave led by 7+ goals. EGF would add one more goal in the final period as Caleb Schmiedeberg would find the back of the net to build an 8-0 lead with under twelve minutes to play. The teams continued to fight and play hard but with the running time the period flew by and EGF would leave with an 8-0 victory. Jaren Bailey got the start in net for Crookston suffering the loss while saving 39 shots. Chase Mero got the shutout win for the Green Wave saving all 7 shots he faced.

Crookston falls to 0-3 and will head to the Twin Cities this weekend for a couple of games. The Pirates will play St. Paul Johnson on Friday night and Two Rivers on Saturday morning, both from St. Paul. The game on Saturday will be on KROX Radio starting with the RiverView Health pregame show at 10:30 a.m. with the puck dropping at 11:00 a.m. East Grand Forks improves to 3-2 on the season with the win.

FOR PIRATES COACH JOSH HARDY’S COMMENTS, CLICK BELOW

1st Period
3:40 – EGF – Brock Schultz (Grady Magner, Landon Jamieson) (PP)
4:09 – EGF – Jace Van Eps (Judd Pesch, Hunter Varnson)
5:29 – EGF – Cullen Schmaltz (Landon Jamieson)
8:19 – EGF – Landon Jamieson (Jace Fore) (PP)
9:05 – EGF – Gage Seydel (Judd Pesch)

2nd Period
12:44 – EGF – Gage Seydel (unassisted) (SH)
16:01 – EGF – Cole Bies (Sam Frost, Cooper Hills) (PP)

3rd Period
5:23 – EGF – Caleb Schmeideberg (Gage Seydel, Chance Moe)