ADDIE FEE SCORES TWICE, INCLUDING THE GAME WINNER TO BEAT WEST FARGO 3-2

Addie Fee, a freshman wing for the Crookston Pirate Girl’s Hockey team, scored with just over two minutes to go in the game to lead the Pirates to a 3-2 win over West Fargo United at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Thief River Falls Girl’s Hockey Classic!! Fee’s lineman  Brekken Tull, a sophomore, scored six minutes into the third to tie the game at 2-2 before Fee’sbig goal. “I got the puck on the boards and made a couple moves to get in front of their goal, but I was on my backhand, so I just let it go and it went in the five-hole,” said Fee. “When Brekken got the first goal in the period it gave us a lot of confidence and we knew we could do it.”
West Fargo, who was 1-0 on the season coming in after a 13-1 win over Devils Lake, N.D. on Tuesday. “It was a good way to start,” said United veteran head coach Pat Johnson, “Devils Lake is inexperience with their graduation and they lost their goalie, so it had some good things but we still have work to do.”

West Fargo United’s sophomore Alyssa Smith, who had a goal and four assists against Devils Lake scored the first goal of the game when she had the puck in low in the left circle to Pirate goalie Jacey Larson. Smith came up the circle and faced Larson put snapped a shot to the far side of Larson for the goal and it was 1-0 West Fargo leading. West Fargo spent a bit of time in the penalty box in the first period taking three and giving Crookston a 5 on 3 power play for a 1:19, with the Pirates having some opportunities could get the equalizer and it was West Fargo United leading 1-0. Crookston outshot West Fargo 10-5 in the period. “We had some chances in the period,” said Crookston head coach Emily Meyer, “they were pretty physical and we didn’t get things together on the power plays.”

Crookston started the second period quickly when Fee scored her first goal of the games and the season just over a minute into the period. “I saw Rylee (Solheim) getting the shot off and I happened to be in the right spot for the nice rebound and put it in,” said Fee. “It was nice to get that first goal of the season being a little frustrated in the first two games.”
Crookston had a couple more power plays chances in the second period but again could not get a puck past Maggie Seeley, West Fargo sophomore goalie. “Their goalie played well and made us work for our goals,” said Crookston coach Meyer on her squad. Crookston had some open chances at the West Fargo blue line but either the shots were uncontested and routine saves or their shots hit West Fargo players and caromed to center ice. West Fargo retook the lead with just under four minutes left in the period when defenseman Mallory Docktor was in the process of shooting the puck and a Pirate got their stick on Docktor’s at the same time and the puck went straight up in the air and kept going and going and finally landed just in from of Pirate goalie Larson who couldn’t quite reach it and Courtney Docktor was able to tuck it in to give West Fargo United a 2-1 lead after two periods.

Crookston came out quickly in the third period and had the territorial advantage and some good chances early but it was until just after six minutes when they tied it up with Tull walking up the slot and sniping a shot past Seeley to make it 2-2. “I’m not sure how it ended up on my stick,” said Tull, “but it did and I quickly shot and just hoping it found the back of the net which it did.” It was the third goal in her first three games this year and she feels good on the ice, “it’s been a good start and I’m excited about our play as a team and our good start.” Both teams went back and forth with chances for both teams but Larson was matching Seeley save for save. Then Fee scored her second at 15:46 PM, “I worked a lot on the offseason at camps and shooting pucks and I’m on my backhand a lot, so it paid off this time.”
Crookston outshot West Fargo United 29-21 in the game which showed that Crookston had the advantage of offensive play, but United had their chances as well. “Jacey played another solid game for us, which is two in a row for her. She has been a very good practice player for us and has deserved to see varsity time with that play for us,” said Meyer, “it really comes down to the confidence factor for us. Every single one of these girls have gained more confidence as the season has went on and seeing a lot of success with each of these lines and how they mesh out there on the ice and not just one line producing but all three of them.”

Crookston is now 3-0 on the season for the first time in 11 years and will play Irondale tomorrow morning bright and early at 10:00 AM at the REA in Thief River Falls.  Irondale won their first game beating Thief River Falls 3-2 to improve to 1-2 on the season.  West Fargo United, which is a cooperative of the three West Fargo High Schools, is 1-1 on the year and will face Thief River Falls tomorrow afternoon right after the Pirate/Irondale game.

1st Period
4:30 –  WF –  Alyssa Smith  (Mia Gervais)

2nd Period
1:12 –  Crox –  Addie Fee (1)  (Rylee Solheim)
14:05 – WF –  Courtney Docktor  (Mallory Docktor)

3rd Period
6:09 –  Crox –  Brekken Tull (3)  (Parker Strand)
15:46 – Crox – Addie Fee (2)  (Morgan Nelson)