ALEAH BIENEK SCORES TWICE AS PIRATES BEAT EAST GRAND FORKS 3-1

The Crookston Pirate senior captain, Aleah Bienek, scored twice, with her last goal coming on a power play and open netter to give the Pirates a 3-1 win over East Grand Forks in a Section 8A game at the Civic Center.

After playing in an overtime loss to Fergus Falls last night, Crookston wanted to come out on all cylinders, and they did by using designed short shifts to start the game because not only did they play last night, but this was the fourth game of the week for Crookston! “In the Fergus Falls games last night, we sort of got stuck out for periods on the ice, can’t get the puck out,” said Aleah Bienek, “so tonight we concentrated on quick shifts and get the puck deep down and then change, which help us a lot with the flow of the game and fresh legs and it worked well.”
It was a relatively physical first period, nobody scored, but not for lack of chances with some grade-A chances in tight for both sides. There were four penalties in the period, and both teams had one power play but did not score and then coincidental penalties in the last 14 seconds of the period. Actually, on the East Grand Forks lone power play, Crookston dominated the two minutes and had some good offensive zone time with Morgan Nelson Brynley Coleman flying all over the place and just missing on some opportunities. Shots were fairly even, 11 to 9 favoring Crookston, but it doesn’t tell the offensive zone time the Pirates had, but it was 0-0 after one period. “There were a lot of loose pucks in the period,” said Crookston head coach Emily Meyer, we shot the puck well, put a lot of shots on net, and more so, we needed to shoot the puck with a purpose, find a corner to shoot at because we were shooting right at her belly. A lot of the rebounds that popped out, the girl’s fanned on it.”

The second period was even more physical than the first period, with a number of penalties, with Crookston having two infractions and East Grand Forks had four. Crookston did open up the score just under two minutes into the period when Bienek had a chance from the high slot and had a slap shot that she didn’t get it all but enough as it slid on the ice between the five-hole. It appeared that Ashley Corbett, the Green Wave goalie, didn’t see it as she was screened, and Crookston had the lead 1-0.  “It was very exciting,” said Bienek, ” Addie (Fee) and I were working the puck in the corner, and I got up to Ash (Ashlyn Bailey), she slid me a pass, and I just kind of threw it on the net hoping for something to happen, a rebound or something and I didn’t even know it went in.” The lead lasted only three minutes when East Grand Forks struck to tie it up. The Green Wave were able to get it into Crookston’s end and put the puck on the net. Crookston goalie Kailee Magsam made the save, and then it was a scrum in front of the Crookston goal, with three East Grand Forks players in front of the Pirates defensemen. Magsam made another save, but it stayed in front of her goal, and the Green Wave’s Aleah Oshie punched it in to tie it a 1-1 with 12 and a half minutes to go in the second period. “In the last couple of games, we’ve had those scrums in front, and our defense is just waiting to see where the puck goes,” said coach Meyer, “I think that is why they didn’t want to commit too far in there with a lot of commotion happening. Kale (Magsam) was able to make two saves, but they were able to tap it in.” The Green Wave took a penalty eight seconds after they tied it up, and it cost them as the Pirates struck on a power play. Crookston had the puck in the offensive zone, Fee was in the far corner, put a pass on Ashlyn Bailey’s stick, and the eighth-grader slapper was on the ice and between the five-hole to give Crookston a 2-1 lead. The following minutes ran off with Crookston having a power play and a half, again having some good opportunities. Still, Corbett looked confident and made the stops when she had to, and the period ended with Crookston leading 2-1. Crookston lost a defenseman, Cassie Solheim, during the second period due to sickness, and Crookston did some switching, putting Reese Swanson back to defense and then bringing up two freshmen, Kaylie Clauson and Parker Strand. They both played a full JV game that lost 3-2. “Cassie just couldn’t go anymore,” said Meyer, “we have those two freshmen, and you could see that they fit right in with Aleah and Addie. We not only have a young team, but we have some great young ones waiting in the wings to get their chance, and I thought both Kaylie and Parker did well. It’s also great to have a player like Reese who can play both up and back at defense, and I’m really proud of the way she stepped up.”

In the third period, Crookston limited East Grand Forks to five shots, which Magsam stopped, and at least one was a Grade A save! Crookston managed eight shots on goal and couldn’t get anything past Corbett, who was equally as strong. “I told them to go out for the last period and play like your losing,” said Meyer, “making sure the girls played with their hearts. They really dug in, and it’s been a rough week with the four games, but I’m glad the way they came out flying and able to hold their own.” East Grand Forks took both penalties in the period, on early, which they skated off, and then with time running out, the Green Wave’s senior, Kendra Emery, took a hooking penalty, her fourth of the game with 1:57 left in the game. Crookston would finish the game on the power play while East Grand Forks pulled their goalie trailing by one. Crookston was trying to clear their zone, and at the blue line, Bienek got control of the puck and just muscled her way past East Grand Forks defenders got over the red line, spotted the open net, and let it go. It hit the dead center to give Crookston the insurance goal with 26 seconds to go and the victory as time ran out on East Grand Forks, and Crookston won 3-1. “I got the puck out, and it was probably the neutral zone. I started thinking about their open net,” said Bienek, “I looked and said I just have to shoot it, put it in and finish this for us and I was able to put it in.” Bienek will play college hockey next year at Trine University in Angola, Indiana, where they play NCAA Division III college hockey. She hopes to get a doctorate in physical therapy to help people get back on their feet! 
Crookston will get a couple of days off now to rest up and heal up and come back at it on Monday when they host Detroit Lakes, who they played a week ago and won 15-0. “We’ll get some needed rest this weekend and then get ready for the Lakers. We don’t take anybody lightly, and it’s a Section game which all are important,” said Meyer. “We will go out and play our normal game, probably play the third and fourth lines and give them more ice time than the first time we played them. We shouldn’t have to score 15 goals on any team, but if your third and fourth lines are putting up goals with a couple of younger players that come up, it’s exciting for them and lifts the whole team.”
Crookston is 12-6-1 on the year and has Detroit Lakes at home on Monday, Roseau at home on Thursday for a 6:00 PM varsity-only game, and finish the week on Saturday at 1:00 PM against Devils Lake, N.D. at home. Crookston will finish off the regular season on Tuesday, February 8, with a rematch and third game with East Grand Forks, this one at home. The Section 8A Tournament starts Thursday, Feb. 10. “We have four games left of the regular season, and it’s important particularly to our seniors as it’s counting down, but our whole team wants to finish off these games playing Pirate hockey and get the number two seed for the Section,” said Meyer.
East Grand Forks drops to 4-12 on the season and has three games next week. Monday at Thief River Falls, Tuesday at Detroit Lakes, and Saturday at home against Gentry Academy. They will also finish the regular season at Crookston on Tuesday, February 8 in Crookston.

1st Period
No scoring

2nd Period
1:49 –  Crookston – Aleah Bienek (8)  (Ashlyn Bailey, Addie Fee)
4:33 –  EGF –  Aleah Oshie  (Kendra Emery, Kara Ellis)
6:36 –  Crookston – Ashlyn Bailey (5)  (Addie Fee)

3rd Period
16:34 –  Crookston –  Aleah Bienek (9) unassisted   (PP)   (Open Net)