Laker Boys Hockey Falls Short Against Bemidji

BEMIDJI (KDLM) – The Laker boys hockey team lost on the road to the Bemidji Lumberjacks on Tuesday night 4-1. Despite jumping out to a one-goal lead early in the first period, the Lakers could not match the Lumberjacks’ speed, ending their 3-game winning streak.

The Lakers were able to get on the scoreboard at the 1:45 mark of the first period when Carter Bellefeuille took the puck away from the Lumberjack defense and got loose for a breakaway goal beating Lumberjack goaltender Jackson Hill glove hand side with a forehand-backhand deke to put the Lakers ahead. The Lumberjacks put on the pressure throughout the first period but were unable to get the puck past Laker senior goalie Elijah Blow, who made some big saves to keep the game at 1-0 going into the first intermission.

The Lumberjacks kept the physicality and pressure on Detroit Lakes in the second period despite being shorthanded for the first two minutes. Bemidji finally got the puck past Blow with Lumberjack forward Cooper Malkowski scoring at the 7:34 mark, scoring on a rebound after Noah Mannausau took the initial shot. The Lumberjacks took their first lead at the 13:29 mark of the second period when Ben Kieson wristed the puck past Blow, thanks to an ill-time turnover by Detroit Lakes on a poor zone entry play. After two periods, the Lumberjacks had the lead and the momentum, with the score at 2-1.

The Lumberjacks once again committed a penalty at the end of the 2nd period, so Detroit Lakes had another powerplay to begin the third. The Lakers were able to generate two shots during the powerplay but could not get a goal. The Lakers played much better in the third period but could not get back in the game. The Lumberjacks picked up their third goal when Wyatt Mattfield skated from one end of the ice to the other and fought off a check by Laker defenseman Tommy Suckert to score at the 8:57 mark in the third period. At the end of the game, the Lumberjacks added some insurance with an empty netter to go ahead 4-1, which was the final score.

Thanks to solid goaltending by Elijah Blow, the Lakers stayed in the game. Blow finished with 31 saves in the contest. Detroit Lakes put 13 shots on the net in the loss and went 0-4 on the powerplay.

The loss dropped DL’s record to 3-3 on the season. The Lumberjacks get back in the win column and are now 3-3-1.

Next up, Detroit Lakes will travel to Breezy Point to take on the Northern Lakes Lightning Thursday night.