Crookston Boys Hockey shuts out Fergus Falls on Hockey Fights Cancer Day

The Crookston Pirate Boys Hockey team shut out the Fergus Falls Otters by a score of 5-0 at the Crookston Sports Center on Saturday afternoon, in the first game of the Pirate Hockey Fights Cancer doubleheader.

FIRST PERIOD
As the first period got underway, it looked as though these teams were fairly evenly matched. Both teams had looks early, but both goaltenders made terrific stops. Specifically Otter goalie Holden Stenstrom, who cut off what looked like an easy Jay Reese goal with a phenomenal save. Halfway through the period, The Pirates were on the power play, but were unable to muster a shot on goal. That all changed, though, when the Pirates went back to 5-on-5, and Jay Reese sniped a perfect shot over the glove of Stenstrom at 11:49 to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead. Fergus Falls almost had an answer, but Brady Chandler made a great short-hop glove save to keep the Otters scoreless. Then, with under a minute to go in the period, the final shot on goal came from Tate Hamre, who scored off a perfect cross-ice pass from Greyson Ecker, and that gave the Pirates a 2-0 lead at the end of the period.

SECOND PERIOD
In the second period, action and opportunities were few and far between for both sides. The Pirate defense stepped up in this period, only allowing the Otters to get two shots on goal in the entire period. The Pirates were not much more fortunate, however, getting few chances at net, and once again getting stopped by Stenstrom. Finally, the Pirates were able to break through, as a shot from the blue line by Cody Demerais was perfectly tipped in by Gavin Aakhus, and that gave the Pirates a 3-0 lead. Though the Otters got a penalty in the final 3 minutes of the period, they could not get any shots off, and the Pirates were able to take the 3-0 lead into the locker room before the 3rd period.

THIRD PERIOD
The third period started with a giant bang for the Pirates, as Greyson Ecker scored 16 seconds in on a breakaway, which gave the Pirates a 4-0 lead. This seemed to deflate the Otters, as their offense went flat for the next few minutes. Even though they were able to get another power play almost immediately after that score, they were unable to get a shot on goal. The Pirates continued to have limited attempts as well, but the pure shotmaking was on full display, and Garrett Fischer showcased it again at 10:57, sniping one over the shoulder of Stenstrom to put the Pirates up 5-0. That score would stick to end the game, as Brady Chandler recorded his 3rd shutout of the year, and the Pirates cruised to a 5-0 win on Pirate Hockey Fights Cancer night.

Crookston improves to 11-6-1 on the year, while Fergus Falls is 6-10 now on the year.