Pirate Boys Hockey wins thriller over Red Lake Falls in overtime

Published on 2/11/25 at 10:30 P.M.

The Crookston Pirate Boys Hockey team got heroics from Michael Bochow as he put away a game-winning goal in overtime with a broken stick to give the Pirates a monumental 3-2 win over the Red Lake Falls Eagles in the final game of the regular season at the Crookston Sports Center.

FIRST PERIOD –
The first period started out pretty slow, with both teams getting a feel for the game. Neither team recorded a shot on goal for the first three minutes of the game, and there were only a combined 10 shots on goal throughout the period. Crookston recorded four of the first six shots on goal, but all four of them were stopped by the Eagle netminder, Draven Wirth. Red Lake Falls then recorded the final 4 shots on goal of the period. The first two were stopped by Parker Kelly in net, but after a Jay Reese penalty, Coby Knott was able to beat Kelly gloveside to put the Eagles up 1-0. The Eagles continued to dominate puck possession, but the Pirate defense prevented any more shots on goal, and the game stayed at 1-0 at the end of the period.

SECOND PERIOD –
The second period could not have started any better for the Pirates. Jay Reese capitalized on a turnover 46 seconds into the period and beat Wirth to tie the game at 1 instantaneously. Red Lake Falls had opportunities and started to pepper Kelly more, but Kelly was up to the task, as the Pirates killed two more Red Lake Falls power plays. Then, at 9:00, Garrett Fischer got an absolutely perfect pass from Liam Larson and capitalized on it making it 2-1 in favor of the Pirates. Red Lake Falls then had a golden opportunity on what looked like an open net, but Parker Kelly somehow was able to lunge to his right, get a skate on the puck, then turn around and cover it before it crossed the red line to keep the game at 2-1. Then, Kelly stopped the final 6 shots on goal of the period, and the team celebrated his efforts as the Pirates took a 2-1 lead into the second intermission.

THIRD PERIOD –
As the third period started, it began to play out almost exactly like the first; very few shots on goal, great defensive play and goaltending from the Pirates and great puck possession and offensive control from the Eagles. However, even with the offensive control, the Eagles could not get the puck past Kelly. They finally got their opportunity after Grant Funk was sent to the box with his third penalty of the game, and Gavin Grindler broke through the Pirate defense down the middle and beat Kelly to tie the game at 2-2. After 5-on-5 action resumed, Red Lake Falls was once again presented with an open net. They were stuffed again, though, as Riley Benson slid in front of the net and took a puck to the chest, saving the tie for the Pirates. Crookston got on their first and only power play of the game in the final minutes, but the Eagles were able to kill it, and the game headed to an extra frame, still tied at 2-2.

OVERTIME
As overtime started, the Eagles jumped on the puck quickly and got two shots on goal in the first minute, but Parker Kelly was up to the task. Then, the Pirates sent the puck down ice and changed. Brandon Colborn took the puck and was slammed into the wall, but still found Michael Bochow, who slid on a knee in front of Wirth and broke his stick, yet still he used the broken stick to poke the puck over the left pad of Wirth to win the game for the Pirates, by a score of 3-2.

Crookston finishes the regular season at 17-7-1, having won eight in a row. Red Lake Falls finishes the regular season at 21-4, having ended their 11-game winning streak.