The Red Lake Falls Eagles Boy’s Hockey team battled the Thief River Falls Prowlers in the Section 8A Quarterfinals on Thursday night from Ralph Engelstad Arena. The Eagles defeated the Prowlers for the first time in school history earlier this season, but it was all Thief River Falls in this game, as they scored four second-period goals and defeated the Eagles by a score of 6-1.
FIRST PERIOD –
Right from the very beginning, the game had a playoff atmosphere as there was plenty of checking and each shift provided lots of energy. The first few minutes of the period were controlled by the Prowlers and they were doing an excellent job of getting pucks near the net. The Eagles were having a tough time leaving their zone and couldn’t seem to get any momentum. Thief River Falls would draw first blood at the 7:06 mark of the period on a goal from Max Arlt. He took a pass up the right boards from Braydin Lund, skated wide around the Eagles defender and beat Red Lake Falls starting goaltender Pacey Struthers to give them the 1-0 lead. Red Lake Falls wouldn’t go away empty-handed in the first period though, and they would tie the game late in the frame on a goal from Evan Girdler. The Eagles would steal a pass from the Prowlers as they were trying to leave the zone, and Brock Knott would fire a shot on goal that would get tipped by Evan Girdler into the back of the net to tie the game with just 1:27 remaining in the frame. Gavin Girdler would also be given an assist on the goal. Neither team would re-take the lead before the end of the period, sending the two teams into the locker room tied at 1-1. Shots on goal in the first seventeen minutes were in favor of Thief River Falls 10-6 and neither team had a Power Play.
SECOND PERIOD –
The second period was all Thief River Falls as they took a commanding 5-1 lead with four goals. Things turned for the Eagles just thirty-five seconds into the frame when Evan Girdler was called for a trip, giving the Prowlers the first Power Play of the game. Thief River Falls would score midway through the man advantage on a coast-to-coast goal from Braydin Lund where he weaved through the entire Red Lake Falls defense. That gave the Prowlers the 2-1 lead just 1:33 into the frame and things steadily got worse from there. The Eagles did a nice job over the next several minutes of slowing the Prowlers down, but when they would get scoring chances of their own, they couldn’t beat Thief River Falls goaltender Conner Roff who played a fantastic game. Thief River Falls would score three more goals in the period in the final seven minutes to take a 5-1 lead. The Prowlers were passing the puck brilliantly, and there was nothing that Eagles goaltender Pacey Struthers could do on the final two goals, however on the third goal, it was a puck that was tipped in front of the net, and Red Lake Falls was arguing it may have been a high stick. They would lose the argument, and Thief River Falls would take a 3-1 lead. Scoring the final three goals of the period for Thief River Falls were Jackson Boyer, Braydin Lund with his second of the night, and Jaxon Hams with under a minute until the intermission report. That would leave Red Lake Falls in a 5-1 deficit heading into the final frame with work to do. Shots on goal through two periods of play were in favor of the Prowlers 26-17.
THIRD PERIOD –
The third period was played with much less energy from both teams as the Prowlers were in full control. It seemed as if Red Lake Falls couldn’t find the energy or muster the strength to start a comeback. The game was never in question in the final seventeen minutes, and Jace Erickson would add one more goal for Thief River Falls in the final period, giving the Prowlers a 6-1 victory, advancing them into the Section 8A Semifinals on Saturday. Conner Roff got the win for the Prowlers in net saving 20 shots and surrendering just 1 goal. Pacey Struthers suffered the loss for Red Lake Falls saving 30 shots and giving up 6 goals.
Red Lake Falls ends their season with a final record of 16-10. They will lose four seniors from the team as Carson Erickson, Evan Girdler, Jackson Hoefer, and Pacey Struthers will graduate this spring. Thief River Falls improves to 10-15-1 and will take on #1 Warroad on Saturday in the Section 8A Semifinals.
FOR EAGLES COACH TREVOR PAGE’S COMMENTS, CLICK BELOW
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Scoring
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1st
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2nd
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3rd
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Final
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RLF
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1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
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TRF
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1 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
1st Period
7:06 – TRF – Max Arlt (Braydin Lund)
15:33 – RLF – Evan Girdler (Brock Knott, Gavin Girdler)
2nd Period
1:33 – TRF – Braydin Lund (Unassisted) (PP)
10:22 – TRF – Jackson Boyer (Tucker Howe)
13:52 – TRF – Braydin Lund (Max Arlt, Jace Erickson)
16:13 – TRF – Jaxon Hams (Andrew Rogalla, Paul Anderson)
3rd Period
8:23 – TRF – Jace Erickson (Braydin Lund)
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Saves
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1st
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2nd
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3rd
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Final
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| Pacey Struthers – RLF | 9 | 12 | 9 | 30 |
| Connor Roff – TRF | 5 | 11 | 4 | 20 |
