CROOKSTON BOY’S HOCKEY GIVES UP TWO SHORTHANDED GOALS IN LOSS TO GRAFTON-PARK RIVER

The Crookston Pirate Boy’s Hockey team had chances but failed to convert in a 6-3 loss to the Grafton-Park River (N.D.) Spoilers in a game played at the Crookston Sports Center on Monday night. The biggest difference in a physical game that was filled with penalties, is the Spoilers scored two Power Play and two Shorthanded goals compared to zero from the Pirates.

FIRST PERIOD –
Like the last game against Detroit Lakes, the Pirates got the scoring started and came out with a fast start. Nathan Kelly would steal a pass in the Spoilers zone and fire a shot stick side to beat the goaltender and give Crookston a 1-0 lead 4:36 into the game. It was a physical opening period as both teams were going blow for blow against each other with lots of checking. The Pirates kept the lead at 1-0 throughout much of the period, but Jackson Reese would be called for a trip with under three minutes to go. The Spoilers would capitalize with the man advantage on a nice wrist shot from Anders Thompson, and tie the game at 1-1. A problem the Pirates have had this year is once they allow one goal, they allow another one soon after, this would again be the case in the opening period. Forty-five seconds later Grafton-Park River would take the lead on a goal from Landon Carter that beat Jaren Bailey up high. The Pirates would catch a break at the end of the period drawing a penalty with nine seconds left, meaning they would get a Power Play to start the second period down 2-1.

SECOND PERIOD –
The Pirates couldn’t capitalize on the Power Play to start the period, and after a couple of nice saves from Jaren Bailey, the game remained 2-1 in favor of the Spoilers. Grafton-Park River soon after would score their third goal of the game as he beat Bailey with a sick wrist shot to give the Spoilers a 3-1 lead at the 5:52 mark of the period. The two teams continued to hit hard and play strong defense. The Pirates would eventually cut the lead in half as Carter Trudeau skated in on the left side, and fired a shot that rattled off the right post and into the back of the net making it a 3-2 game with 6:03 remaining in the frame. It was the fourth goal of the year for Trudeau and Ty Larson would be credited with the assist. Things got interesting at the end of the period, as the Spoilers would be giving a Power Play with three minutes left after Kadin Edwards would be called for roughing, but it was soon be negated after a Spoilers penalty. That would create a one minute period of 4V4 before the Pirates would have a minute on the Power Play to end the period. The teams would skate through the 4V4 without a goal but things took a turn against Crookston in the final seconds. Jack Doda was hit from behind near the boards and the Pirates didn’t get the call, this resulted in the puck going down into the Pirates zone, and Grafton-Park River scoring a shorthanded goal as Landon Carter completed his hat trick. That gave the Spoilers a 4-2 lead heading into the final period.

THIRD PERIOD –
As was the case with the first two periods, the third period was filled with plenty of opportunities for both teams. Crookston would be the first to capitalize as Nathan Kelly found a loose puck in front of the net and kept jamming away until he finally snuck it in to pull Crookston within one goal trailing 4-3 with 11:32 left to play. Jack Doda and Teagen Lubinski would be credited with the assists and it was the second goal of the night for Kelly. Over the course of the next several minutes, there would be multiple penalties, and it would end up resulting in the Pirates getting a 5V3 opportunity. Crookston caught a bad break having a shot get deflected, and Landon Carter skated the other way in a one on one and scored his fourth goal of the game to extend the lead back to two goals at 5-3 with just 6:24 remaining in the game. The story of the game was the Power Play opportunities Crookston failed to cash in on, while the Spoilers managed two Power Play goals and two shorthanded goals on the night. Jack Doda would have a couple of good looks in the final period to bring Crookston back, but he ended up hitting the post on three separate occasions. Grafton-Park River would add one more goal late and end up winning the game by a final score of 6-3. Jaren Bailey suffered the loss in net for Crookston making 26 saves and allowing 6 goals. John Schumacher earned the win for the Spoilers making 27 saves and surrendering just 3 goals.

Crookston falls to 1-6 on the season and will have one more game this week before Christmas against the Thief River Falls Prowlers on Thursday night. Grafton-Park River improves to 3-4 with the win.

FOR PIRATES COACH JOSH HARDY’S COMMENTS, CLICK BELOW

1st Period
4:36 – Crox – Nathan Kelly (4) (unassisted)
15:27 – G-PR – Anders Thompson (Landon Carter) (PP)
16:12 – G-PR – Landon Carter (Aiden McLain, Anders Thompson)

2nd Period
5:52 – G-PR – Landon Carter (Riley Suda)
10:57 – Crox – Carter Trudeau (4) (Ty Larson)
16:43 – G-PR – Landon Carter (unassisted) (SH)

3rd Period
5:28 – Crox – Nathan Kelly (5) (Jack Doda)
10:36 – G-PR – Landon Carter (unassisted) (SH)
15:46 – G-PR – Wren Jelinek (Landon Carter, Waylon Schrank (PP)

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