CHAMPLIN PARK/COON RAPIDS SCORES TWICE IN THIRD PERIOD TO BEAT CROOKSTON GIRL’S HOCKEY 3-1

In their first-ever meeting, the Champlin Park/Coon Rapids Bluebirds scored two third period goals, one with 3 seconds left to defeat the Crookston Pirates 3-1 at the Crookston Sports Center in Crookston. Bluebirds freshman June Semling was able to turn two Pirate defensemen around to gain a breakaway and put the puck past Pirate goalie, Kambelle Freije about half-way through the final period to score the game winner in a very well-played hockey game with a lot of action this afternoon at the Crookston Sports Center.

Champlin Park/Coon Rapids was coming into Crookston with their first loss of the season last night at Warroad 4-3. A game that they led Warroad 3-0 early in the second period before losing and they were 5-1 coming into this afternoon’s game, while the Crookston Pirates, 3-1-1 had been off for a week since they last played. It didn’t start well for Crookston as they took a penalty 19 seconds into the game and the Bluebirds would score with the man advantage. Sophomore Tessa Boden scored as a puck that was directed to the Crookston net, changed directions on a tip and forced Freije to react to her right and when she rolled over the puck managed to slide across the red line and the power play goal gave Champlin Park/Coon Rapids a 1-0 lead a minute and a half into the game! “It wasn’t how we wanted to start the game,” said Crookston head coach Emily Meyer, “our penalty kill has been very effective so far, but they ran an umbrella and we kind of ran around. They got traffic in front and looking for the back door pass.” Penalties continued to be a problem for both teams most of the period for both teams. Crookston was able to skate off another one, but the Pirates seemed to set a tone by doing a great job of playing a stick check game at the neutral ice and keeping the Bluebirds from entering and setting up in the offensive zone. The Pirates did have a five on three power play for 1:15 late in the period and Crookston finally beat Champlin Park/Coon Rapids junior goalie, Madelyn Wostrel for the equalizer as junior Addie Fee was parked in front of the Bluebirds net when Taylor Field and Morgan Nelson kept the puck in the Bluebirds zone and a shot on goal, which Fee was able to corral and pulled it back and bit and around the left side of Wostrel and tucked in for a power play and a 1-1 game with 2:40 to go in the period. “That line really came together,” said Meyer, “I applaud them for that. There was a lot of good things from that line, moving the puck well, Addie in front, doing what she does best and burying those greasy goals which is something we have to do.”  Champlin Park/Coon Rapids would take another penalty with just over a minute to go in the period and they used a set play in their own zone, winning the draw and then a long pass to their leading scorer, Lily McKenzie and she grabbed the pass the let a blistering shot go inside the Crookston blueline that rang off the right post and kept it 1-1 after one period of play. “It was a great period for us,” said Meyer, “we did a lot of good things and as we said, helped set the tone for the period and then for the rest of the game.”

Nobody would score in the second period with the Pirates dominating again, a point-blank shot for Brekken Tull, some near misses but Crookston, who came into their sixth game of the year averaging less than two goals a game, continued to miss on opportunities. Champlin Park/Coon Rapids took a penalty with two and a half left and Crookston had good-sustained pressure on the Bluebirds, but no score with the period ending 1-1. “We really kept the pressure on, that was something we really did well,” said Coach Meyer, “I think having the patience, confidence in each and ourselves when the puck is on our stick, we can do great things. When we take those shots, we shoot with a purpose, get rebounds, people in front.”

Before the start of the third period, Meyer said, “Kaylie Clauson put it perfectly, we wanted to be the ones to answer first and play defense like we have been the rest of the period.” Crookston had a power play of 1:59 to start the third period and another chance to take the lead, but Wostrel made some nice saves as Crookston warmed up with chances with the extra person.  The Bluebirds would take their second lead of the game when June Semling sped into the Crookston end and just blew by two Pirates and was alone on Freije and able to beat her to give Champlin Park/Coon Rapids the 2-1 lead with the biggest goal of the game with nine minutes to go. Just after the goal, Crookston had another power play chance and were unable to score again going one for five on the man advantage for the game. With the Pirates thinking about pulling the goalie they took another penalty with just under three minutes to go. Although Crookston killed off the penalty it took away from the offense and both teams were full strength with under a minute to go and the Bluebirds were able to go with three seconds left when Sydney Burnevik jammed a rebound in to make it a 3-1 final with Champlin Park/Coon Rapids going home with a win. “Hopefully we can shake this off,” said Meyer, “our team feels this one a lot because they really wanted it. We just have to regroup for a big game on Tuesday.”

Crookston is 3-2-1 on the season and the big game on Tuesday is with Warroad at home. “Warroad is a good hockey team and off to another good start,” said Meyer, “we want to see how we measure up with them and things we will have to work on the rest of season.”
Champlin Park/Coon Rapids is 6-1 on the year and will also have a big Section 5AA contest on Tuesday when they play Maple Grove on the road.
JV – Champlin Park/Coon Rapids-8, Crookston-0

1st Period
1:26 – CPCR – Tessa Boden (Sydney Burnevik, Kylie Aswegan) PP
14:20 – Crookston – Addie Fee (2) (Morgan Nelson, Taylor Field) PP

2nd Period
No Scoring

3rd Period
7:20 – CPCR – June Semling unassisted
16:57 – CPCR – Sydney Burnevik (Tessa Boden, Lily McKenzie)

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