CROOKSTON PIRATE BOYS HOCKEY LATE COMEBACK FALLS SHORT TO THIEF RIVER FALLS, PROWLERS WIN 3-2

The Crookston Pirate Boys Hockey team had a late rally but fell short to the Thief River Falls Prowlers, 3-2, at Ralph Englestad Arena in Thief River Falls.

FIRST PERIOD
The game started with the Thief River Falls offense firing multiple shots on the net, but Crookston’s goalie, Parker Kelly, kept the Prowlers out of the net. About halfway through the period, Thief River Falls headed to the power play, but Crookston’s Greyson Ecker took the puck and got a breakaway chance, but his shot was saved by the Prowlers goaltender, Conner Roff. The Pirates would kill off the power play, and just seconds after doing so, Thief River Falls would get called for a penalty, sending Crookston to the power play. The Prowlers Cooper Anderson would get an opportunity short-handed on a breakaway, but Kelly stepped up and made the save as Thief River Falls would kill off the rest of the power play.
A little later, Thief River Falls’ Brayden Spears had a chance out in front with the netmouth almost wide open, but Parker Kelly came across the crease to get his skate on the puck and keep the game scoreless. Spears would break the scoreless tie towards the end of the period as his shot would beat Kelly to give Thief River Falls a 1-0 lead. The Prowlers would continue to fire shots on net, but the period would end with the Prowlers up 1-0. 

SECOND PERIOD
In the second, Thief River Falls, just six seconds into the period, would get called for a penalty, sending Crookston to the power play, but the Prowlers would kill off the Pirates’ power play. Thief River Falls would continue to get shots on net, but Parker Kelly came up with multiple clutch saves, including shutting the door on Joseph Kelly to keep Thief River Falls up 1-0. Crookston’s Jay Reese, off of a turnover, took the puck into the offensive zone and fired a tough shot that Roff fought off to keep the Pirates off the scoreboard. With about three minutes left in the period, Parker Kelly had to make a flurry of saves as the Prowlers’ offense heated up. Kelly kept the Prowlers out of the net until Tucker Howe, with just 40 seconds left in the period, fired a shot that found the back of the net to make it 2-0 Thief River Falls. As the period ended, the Pirates’ Jay Reese had an opportunity on a rebound after a save from Roff, but the puck hopped over his stick. As time expired, Thief River Falls had a chance in front of the net, and Kadin Edwards was called for a hooking penalty, which might’ve saved a goal as Thief River Falls would hold a 2-0 lead after two.   

THIRD PERIOD
Thief River Falls started the third period with a power play, but it would be Crookston’s Greyson Ecker who had a short-handed chance and got a shot on goal halfway through the Pirates’ penalty kill. A few minutes later, Parker Kelly made a spectacular save as he stretched out to keep the Prowlers lead at 2-0. A little later, the Prowlers would dominate offensive zone time after the Pirates killed off a penalty, and Cooper Anderson was out in front of the net and poked a pass from Spears into the back of the net to give Thief River Falls a 3-0 lead. Crookston would head to the power play for the third time in the game but right off the faceoff. Spencer Anderson took advantage of a turnover and raced up ice into the offensive zone, trying to get a shot off, but Tate Hamre was on the defense. Hamre got his stick in the way as the refs called a penalty shot for Anderson. Anderson walked in at first and built up speed before firing a shot, but Kelly made his 40th save of the night and kept the game at 3-0.
In the final minute, Crookston was looking for offense as Carter Trudeau sent a pass for Grant Funk, who fired a shot on goal. Roff made the save, but Garrett Fischer was there for the rebound and put the puck in the back of the net to make it 3-1 Thief River Falls on top. Nine seconds later, Fischer would score again; this time, Teagen Lubinski sent a pass for Kadin Edwards, whose shot was saved, but Fischer was there again to score and make it 3-2 with 35 seconds left in regulation. Thief River Falls would win the faceoff and send the puck into their zone, but Hamre would get the puck for the Pirates and worked his way into the offensive zone. The Pirates couldn’t beat Roff in the final seconds as the Prowlers cleared the puck down to the other end but iced it with 0.5 seconds left. On the faceoff, Kadin Edwards tried to get a shot off the draw, but his attempt was blocked into the corner as time expired. Thief River Falls would get the win 3-2. 

Crookston drops to 6-4 on the season and will travel to Park Rapids on Thursday. Thief River Falls improves to 7-3-1 and will take on East Grand Forks on the road on Thursday. 

Thief River Falls won the J.V. game 5-1.

Click here for Coach Hardy’s post-game interview. 

Scoring	1st	2nd	3rd	Final
Thief River Falls	1	1	1	3
Crookston	0	0	2	2

 

1st Period
14:39 – TRF  – Brayden Spears (Jaxon Hams, Gabe Winter)

2nd Period
16:20 – TRF – Tucker Howe (Paul Anderson, Jameson Hurst)

3rd Period
6:47 – TRF – Cooper Anderson (Brayden Spears, Jace Erickson)
16:16 – Crox – Garrett Fischer (4) (Grant Funk, Carter Trudeau)
16:25 – Crox – Garrett Fischer (5) (Kadin Edwards, Teagan Lubinski)