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Power play is elixir for Dragons |
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By Steve Morris
Nearly a month after being upset by a win-less North Branch team, the Rush City/Pine City hockey team earned some revenge in a 2-5 win against the Vikings boys hockey team.
“The boys were pretty fired up on their own. We didn’t have to do much preparation prior to hitting the ice,” head coach Tim Schlichting said.
North Branch scored the first goal on a rebound that a Viking player had knocked in mid-air into the net to give them a 1-0 lead.
The Vikings struck again three minutes later on a 2 on 2 pass that caught junior guard James Fregien moving across the crease a little too late to make the save.
Sophomore forward Taylor Gonyea scored the first of three power play goals shortly after, which was the most power play goals the Dragons had in one game all season.
“You know your team has a good opportunity to win the game if the special teams are clicking. We also have been spending 10-30 minutes a practice working on the power play the last three weeks. Both power play units moved the puck fairly well and took advantage of the odd man situation,” Schlichting said.
Dragon senior forward Terry Kraft scored the second power play goal from the high slot that deflected off a Viking defender to tie the game at two a piece with eight seconds left to play in the first period.
Brady Schumacher opened up the second period by breaking to the net and putting a re-bound from Taylor Gonyea past the North Branch netminder for the only goal of the period.
Schlichting acknowledged the defensive coverage seemed to get better as the game went on and players like Brady were applying back pressure all the way into the zone.
On a different play, Dan Sebastian came in to the slot and tied up a Viking player that would have had an open shot if he wouldn’t have been neutralized.
In the third period, Cory Sarago scored on a shot from the point 37, seconds into the period to give the Dragons a 4-2 lead.
The game ended when Taylor scored the final power play goal with 20 seconds remaining in the game on the open net.
The Dragons (9-10-1) next game is Feb. 7 against Mora.
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